Andy Serkis' Animal Farm Gets A Trailer

 

Andy Serkis has had quite the career. He's best known for breathing life- with a little bit of help from animators- into characters such as Lord Of The Rings' Gollum and Planet Of The Apes' Caesar through motion-capture. He then moved into directing with films such as Breathe, Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and the upcoming Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum. Now he has made his first foray into fully-animated films with the George Orwell adaptation Animal Farm.

Angel has announced that it has acquired the theatrical distribution rights, and will release the film in cinemas on May 1, 2026. Animal Farm is directed by Serkis and produced by Adam Nagle and Dave Rosenbaum for Aniventure, and Jonathan Cavendish and Andy Serkis for Imaginarium Productions, with animation production from Cinesite. 

The film has a star-studded voice cast including Glenn Close, Seth Rogen, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Laverne Cox, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner and Iman Vellani. Rogen is cast very much cast against type as Napoleon, the lead pig.

“This is a project of tremendous heart,” said Brandon Purdie, Executive Vice President of Theatrical and Brand Development at Angel. “Andy Serkis’ visionary direction, combined with this powerhouse cast, creates a film that feels timely, urgent, and deeply human — even though the protagonists might be pigs, donkeys, and horses. We’re confident that moviegoers will see not just a story of farm animals, but a mirror held up to our world today.”

Serkis wrote the script alongside Nicholas Stoller (The Muppets (2011)). The film premiered at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June, where it was described as "one of the most important films of the year" by The Hollywood Reporter.

Serkis added, “Orwell’s Animal Farm has never felt more relevant. In an age where power, propaganda, and inequality shape our societies, it’s vital that we remember his cautionary tale. This adaptation isn’t just a story for entertainment — it’s a reminder that democracy, freedom, and integrity are fragile, and must be watched over. My hope is that audiences walk away moved, thoughtful, and inspired to stand up for the values that matter.  I’m honoured that Angel and the Angel Guild are willing to bring this film to big screens around the world.”

Check out the trailer (below) and it's pretty clear this isn't the most faithful adaptation. Serkis and Stoller seem to have taken some liberties with the original text, such as by adding in human antagonists who are conspiring with the pigs. It remains to be seen whether such changes muddy the story's ultimate message or not. It certainly looks like it could hardly be more different from the classic 1954 animated adaptation in tone. 

Angel says that they are dedicated to ensuring that Animal Farm resonates "with both longtime readers of Orwell’s classic and new generations discovering its themes for the first time."