ParaNorman returns to theatres this October with a remastered release and a brand new short film

‘ParaNorman’ is a movie about belonging, friendship, community, and forgiveness, celebrating what makes us human in life and in death. Beautiful, captivating and funny, with a stunning score by Jon Brion, ParaNorman celebrates everything that makes us different and unique in a world that often wants us to be the same. LAIKA’s ‘ParaNorman’ will re-release in newly remastered 3D and 2D formats as part of the studio’s year-long 20th Anniversary celebration this October.

From The Isle of Dogs to My Life as a Zucchini and Fantastic Mr Fox, stop-motion animation has given us some of the most creative films of the past twenty years. Alongside British-based Aardman, one studio has led the way: Laika, the Oregon-based dream factory behind Coraline, The Corpse Bride and the beautiful and brilliant ParaNorman.

Released in 2012, ParaNorman would celebrate the classic monster movies of the Universal era while paying homage to Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante and Chris Columbus. But more importantly, ParaNorman would proudly state that weirdness and difference are cool, as it embraced a core message of diversity and belonging.

The story begins with a geeky homage to 1970s and 1980s cinema—a movie within a movie that quickly cuts to Norman and his Grandmother sitting in front of the TV. However, Norman’s Grandma has been dead for some time, and as young Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) casually chats with her spirit, we quickly learn he has a rare and beautiful talent.

As Norman watches the trashy zombie movie on the TV, his spectral Grandma shows a keen interest in the action, asking, “What’s happening now?” Norman replies, “Well, the zombie is eating her head, Grandma”. His Grandma keeps knitting her spectral top before saying, “He’s gonna ruin his dinner. I’m sure if they just bothered to sit down and talk it through, it’d be a different story”. This one segment summarises the heart and soul of the movie, a celebration of mortality, difference and eternal love. 

At its heart, ParaNorman is a movie about belonging, friendship, community, and forgiveness, celebrating what makes us human in life and in death. Beautiful, captivating and funny, with a stunning score by Jon Brion, ParaNorman celebrates everything that makes us different and unique in a world that often wants us to be the same.

ParaNorman was a massive hit with critics and audiences alike, garnering multiple awards, including Oscar®, BAFTA® and Golden Globe nominations, as well as multiple ANNIE Awards®. Written by Chris Butler and directed by Butler and Sam Fell (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget), the re-release features a new, CG animated short film, ParaNorman: The Thrifting. Directed by LAIKA’s lead character designer Thibault LeClercq, The Thrifting features the voice talent of Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard and Anna Kendrick, who reprises her role as Norman’s older sister, Courtney Babcock.  

As with the record-breaking 15th Anniversary 2024 re-release of Coraline, LAIKA will bring the gloriously remastered ParaNorman to global audiences in partnership with Trafalgar Releasing, premiering Thursday, October 23, and Fathom Entertainment in the US, premiering Saturday, October 25.

LAIKA’s delightful second film, ParaNorman, will re-release in newly remastered 3D and 2D formats as part of the studio’s year-long 20th Anniversary celebration this October, with tickets on sale now!