Andy Serkis has been trying to bring George Orwell’s Animal Farm to screens for almost 15 years. While we know that he enjoys a challenge (just look at his performance capture work with Gollum and Caesar), it seems turning a 1945 political allegory about pigs becoming dictators into a CG-animated feature might not have been the best idea. But now, after months of circulating film festivals, Angel Studios has grabbed the rights to Animal Farm.
You might think it’s an odd pairing, especially since Angel Studios is known for their faith-based works like Sound of Freedom, The King of Kings and 2025’s David. And you’d probably be right. People are already side-eyeing the combo, wondering if a story about corrupt leadership and propaganda will get a more sanitized makeover.
The cast list is stacked with voices you’ve definitely heard yelling through animated films before. Seth Rogen plays Napoleon, the pig who becomes the worst kind of boss. Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Kathleen Turner, and Serkis himself are all in the barnyard too. For extra star power, Jim Parsons, Laverne Cox, Gaten Matarazzo, and Iman Vellani are also squealing in the lineup.
If you’ve somehow escaped the book since high school, the plot goes like this: the animals overthrow the drunk farmer, celebrate equality for all, then slowly watch the pigs hoard the snacks, rewrite the rules, and hire giant wolves as personal security.
It’s not exactly light viewing. In fact, it’s supposed to be pretty dark stuff. Maybe too dark for an animated film. And certainly too dark for Angel Studios.
But reports claim Serkis leaned into family-friendly tweaks, which include fart jokes, instead.
The film’s still coming to theaters in 2026, so there’s time for more tweaks. Maybe Serkis will thread the needle between Orwell’s cynicism and something modern audiences can enjoy without leaving the cinema emotionally destroyed. Or maybe we’ll just get pigs quoting propaganda while breaking wind. At least you won’t forget that.
Or perhaps Andy Serkis’ Animal Farm turns out to be just as controversial as George Orwell’s original satirical novella.
RELATED: Quentin Tarantino Teases Animated Pulp Fiction Prequel Movie
