Dark 92-Minute Fantasy Horror Surges on Streaming 14 Years Later

The horror genre has many popular films. In recent years, it has taken over streaming and the box office with hits like Obsession, Back Rooms, and Disclosure Day, among the highest-grossing horror movies of 2026. Now, an underrated comedy-horror film is rising on streaming 14 years later.

Per FlixPatrol, ParaNorman is currently the No. 3 most-watched movie on Disney+ in the United States. The stop-motion film has been rising on the streaming chart this week. ParaNorman debuted on August 17, 2012, and featured a star-studded voice cast that included Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Kodi Smit-McPhee, John Goodman, and more.

What Is ParaNorman About?

ParaNorman is a stop-motion animated comedy horror that follows Norman Babcock, an 11-year-old boy who can talk to ghosts. Very few people believe in his abilities, which leaves Norman mostly isolated at school and at home. Things take a turn when Norman’s great-uncle, Mr. Prenderghast, asks Norman to perform a ritual to protect the town from a witch’s curse.

ParaNorman stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as Norman Babcock and Tucker Albrizzi as Neil Downe, Norman’s friend. Anna Kendrick stars as Courtney Babcock, Norman’s sister, while Casey Affleck plays Neil’s brother, Mitch Downe. The film also stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Alvin, Leslie Mann as Sandra Babcock, Jeff Garlin as Perry Babcock, and John Goodman as Mr. Prenderghast.

ParaNorman was groundbreaking for its time. It was the first stop-motion film to use a 3-D color printer for the characters’ faces. The fantasy horror was also the first mainstream animated film to feature an openly gay character and was the first-ever PG-rated movie nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. ParaNorman remains one of the best cozy horror films.

ParaNorman Received Positive Reviews from Critics

Norman Babcock in ParaNorman — Norman Babcock holding a book in ParaNorman.

On Rotten Tomatoes, ParaNorman holds an 89% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score based on critics’ reviews, and a 73% Popcornmeter score based on audience reviews. On IMDb, the stop-motion horror holds a 7.0 rating with almost 120,000 reviews. Many critics praised the animation and storytelling, calling ParaNorman a film that both kids and adults can enjoy.

Lou Lumenick from the New York Post said ParaNorman “Employs stop-motion animation to provide hand-crafted appeal to the clever and surprisingly scary story of a Massachusetts town whose witch-hunting past catches up with it on its 300th anniversary.” Meanwhile, Michael Phillips from the Chicago Tribune said, “What works about ParaNorman is its subtle interweave of the stoical and the heroic.”

ParaNorman is a groundbreaking horror masterpiece for all ages with a talented cast. And more than a decade later, it continues to find new audiences, now rising on streaming platforms. ParaNorman perfectly blends genres, standing the test of time as a fun and slightly scary fantasy horror film and stop-motion animation.

ParaNorman is available to stream on Disney+ in the United States.