As October winds down, I’m already planning my cozy nights in with blankets, tea, and, of course, scary movies! If you’re building your own watchlist, I have to recommend ParaNorman. It’s the fantastic 2012 animated film from the creators of Coraline, and it’s seriously good. Even better, it’s coming back to theaters in remastered 3D from October 25th to 28th! They’re also showing a brand-new short called ParaNorman: The Thrifting, and Anna Kendrick is reprising her role as Courtney – plus, Finn Wolfhard joins the cast with a new character. It sounds amazing!
The movie ParaNorman centers on Norman Babcock, an 11-year-old boy with the ability to see ghosts, who must use his powers to save his town from a zombie invasion. Released in 2012, the film has become a favorite among movie lovers, celebrated as both a fantastic animated film and one of the best horror movies of the 21st century. Its success comes from LAIKA Studios’ incredible stop-motion animation, charming characters, and clear love for classic horror films. ParaNorman is also a great introduction to the horror genre, making it perfect for older children, teens, or anyone who’s easily frightened. If you’re looking for a movie to watch this Halloween, ParaNorman is definitely worth adding to your list.
Cutting-edge stop-motion technology
LAIKA established its distinctive visual style with the 2009 film Coraline, and ParaNorman built on that success by creatively blending traditional stop-motion animation with cutting-edge technology. ParaNorman pioneered the use of full-color 3D printing for character faces, allowing for details like freckles and blush to be printed directly onto the puppets instead of painted by hand. This innovative approach resulted in an incredible range of expressions – over 31,000 unique faces were created – giving the characters a remarkable level of emotional depth.
As a huge fan of ParaNorman, I’ve always been amazed by how beautifully it looks. What really struck me was how they made the movie – it felt like a real blend of old-school puppetry and modern effects. LAIKA was really ahead of the curve, combining physical stop-motion with things like digital fog and ghosts. They even lit the sets like a live-action movie, using real lamps to create these awesome, spooky shadows! And it wasn’t some quick fix with 3D added later – ParaNorman was filmed entirely in true stereoscopic 3D, which is way more immersive. Now, they’ve remastered it for theaters, and every single shot has been touched up to take advantage of all the new technology, making it look even more incredible than before.
Fun horror Easter eggs
One of the things that makes ParaNorman so enjoyable is how it cleverly references and integrates itself into the history of scary movies. Horror fans will love spotting the many subtle nods and Easter eggs to classic films – like Norman’s ringtone, which is the theme from the 1978 movie Halloween. His bedroom is filled with posters and items inspired by beloved horror titles such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, Night of the Living Dead, and even a poster of a black cat that resembles the one from Coraline. The town’s name, Blithe Hollow, is a combination of references to Blithe Spirit and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. And that’s just the beginning – a big part of the fun of watching ParaNorman is recognizing these references and sharing them with friends, making you feel like a true movie expert.
A star-studded voice cast
LAIKA Studios chooses voice actors not for their fame, but for how well they connect with the character’s emotions, and ParaNorman is a great example of this approach. The film features a charming cast who have since become well-known and highly praised, including Kodi Smit-McPhee (who recently received an Oscar nomination) as Norman, along with Anna Kendrick (Courtney) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Alvin). Leslie Mann and John Goodman were also part of the talented ensemble. These voice performances brought genuine emotion to the film’s fantastical setting—and established a successful casting strategy for LAIKA, focusing on up-and-coming stars.
Scares alongside empathy
ParaNorman is a delightfully spooky film with a surprisingly warm message. It’s not really about a boy battling monsters, but about taking the time to understand them. Ultimately, the movie teaches the importance of listening to others – a valuable lesson for everyone. The filmmakers used amazing stop-motion animation, allowing the main character, Norman, to express a huge range of subtle emotions. While perfect for Halloween, ParaNorman is really a story about finding compassion in a world that often forgets it – and that’s something truly special.
Snag your tickets to see ParaNorman back in theaters.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=mI4L-H0TeNI
Just so you know, this video was made in partnership with a brand, and the Vox newsroom wasn’t involved in its creation. I still love sharing cool stuff with you all, but I always want to be upfront about these kinds of collaborations!
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2025-10-21 00:55