Andy Serkis’ ‘Animal Farm’ Adaptation Is “Darkly Comic” Take on Orwell Classic

Andy Serkis has set his sights on another tale of rebellion. The Planet of the Apes star is trading in primates for pigs in his upcoming animated adaptation of George Orwell’s 1945 satirical allegory Animal Farm. As the director and possible star of the upcoming Animal Farm adaptation, Serkis has cleared the air about his mysterious and long-awaited animated directorial debut.

Speaking with Collider, screenwriter Nicholas Stoller said Serkis’ Animal Farm will be a “darkly comic” yet family-friendly animated tale that puts a modern spin on the classic political satire.

After decades of Serkis trying to get his vision for Animal Farm produced, the film is finally becoming a reality. Having recently released his new romantic comedy film You’re Cordially Invited on Prime Video, Stoller talked to Collider about the next project he’s been working on. Stoller wrote the script for the new take on the old classic from the minds of Serkis and Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt, and he explained the narrative thrust of the adaptation:

“[Serkis] had a very clear idea of the tone he wanted, and he wanted the central dynamic that’s not in the book between the kind of Napoleon, bad pig and a younger pig who kind of gets corrupted through the system and then pulls out of it. I thought that was a really good structure, and so he developed it with me, and then I just wrote.”

Stoller also described the unique sense of humor in his script for Serkis’ Animal Farm:

“It’s a bit updated because, obviously, the book was written in the ‘40s, so if you were to update that exactly to what it was, it would feel a bit dated. So, I updated it a bit and made it more darkly comic than the book is. The book is comic, but it’s serious. I’m excited for people to see it. I think it’s going to be awesome. It’s been a passion project of his for a long time.”

There’s a New Animal on the Farm

While there has already been an animated Animal Farm adaptation that was actually financed by the CIA around the beginning of the Cold War, Serkis’ version is attempting to add to the historical conversation. Stoller revealed to Collider that he and Serkis created a new, younger character to add to the farm as a central part of the updated plot.

The young animal will show how the animals who grow up under the oppressive pig Napoleon’s control are influenced and how they break free from his rule to find the truth and their freedom. The cast has yet to be revealed, but IMDb lists Kieran Culkin, Kathleen Turner, and Serkis among the ensemble so far.

The prospect of making Animal Farm more family-friendly is a bold undertaking, but could pay off as even Stoller was able to get his 11-year-old daughter to read – and enjoy – Orwell’s political satire. While there is no announced release date, the animated film is said to be coming out sometime in 2025.