The teaser trailer for the animated movie ParaNorman has been released. The 2012 picture comes from co-directors Chris Butler, who has previously worked on Coraline and Corpse Bride, as well as Seth Fell of both The Tale of Despereaux and Flushed Away. Per IMDb, the duo’s new project ParaNorman follows a “misunderstood boy who can speak with the dead, takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.”

Voicing the characters in the flick is actor Kodi Smit-McPhee as Norman, Twilight star Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Funny People’s Leslie Mann, John Goodman, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, The Cosby’s star Tempestt Bledsoe, Jodelle Ferland, Tucker Albrizzi of I Am Number Four, Bernard Hill and more. The movie was written by Chris Butler himself and is scheduled to be released next year on August 17th.

Check out the trailer below that showcases disfigured and decrepit hands, ghosts, scary faces, bats and a seemingly sad boy, foaming at the mouth while what sounds like ‘Season of the Witch’ plays out in the background. Similar in nature to Coraline, the dark teaser is pretty cool. If only it was set for release this Halloween, and not next summer. Let us know what you think of the trailer for ParaNorman below.