Andy Serkis has revealed the star-studded voice cast and first glimpse of his highly anticipated animated adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, with Seth Rogen leading as the ruthless pig Napoleon, per movieweb.com. The film, set for a 2025 release, promises a fresh, darkly comedic take on the iconic political allegory.
Serkis, known for his groundbreaking motion-capture performances in Planet of the Apes and The Lord of the Rings, is directing and voicing the cynical donkey Benjamin in this long-awaited project. The ensemble cast includes Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction), Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black), Kieran Culkin (Succession), Woody Harrelson (True Detective), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Kathleen Turner (Peggy Sue Got Married*l), and Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel).
Originally announced in 2012, Animal Farm has been a passion project for Serkis, who collaborates with screenwriter Nicholas Stoller (The Muppets, Storks) to deliver a modernised yet faithful adaptation. Stoller describes the film as “a bit updated” and “more darkly comic than the book,” hinting at a fresh spin on Orwell’s cautionary tale of power and corruption.
The first-look image teases the animated barnyard rebellion, featuring key characters like Napoleon, Snowball, Squealer and Boxer, alongside possible new additions. Produced by Aniventure and The Imaginarium Studios, with animation by Cinesite, the film is set to hit theaters on July 11.
