Animal Farm (2025 film)

Animal Farm (2025 film)

Animal Farm is a 2025 animated fantasy comedy-adventure film directed by Andy Serkis and written by Nicholas Stoller, based on the 1945 novella by George Orwell. The film stars Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Steve Buscemi, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner, and Iman Vellani. It is the third adaptation of the novella, following the 1954 animated film and the 1999 live-action film, with an alternative, coming-of-age plot that introduces new characters such as a piglet named Lucky.

The film premiered at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival on 9 June 2025, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on 1 May 2026, by Angel Studios.

Voice cast

Animal Farm (2025 film)

• Seth Rogen as Napoleon, a Saddleback boar and co-leader of the rebellion who rises to power at Animal Farm • Gaten Matarazzo as Lucky, a piglet torn between Napoleon and Snowball's teachings • Kieran Culkin as Squealer, a small boar and Napoleon's aide • Glenn Close as Freida Pilkington, Mr. Jones' neighbor and a billionaire scheming to take over Animal Farm. She is loosely based off of Mr. Pilkington from the novel. • Steve Buscemi as Mr. Whymper, Pilkington's right hand man • Laverne Cox as Snowball, a sow and co-leader of the rebellion who is Napoleon's rival. This character was male in Orwell's book. • Woody Harrelson as Boxer, a horse and Lucky's best friend • Jim Parsons as: • Carl, a sheep • Carl's flock • Andy Serkis as: • Mr. Jones, the original owner of the farm • Randolph, a rooster • Kathleen Turner as Benjamin, a donkey • Iman Vellani as Puff and Tammy, two piglets and Lucky's friends

Production

Animal Farm (2025 film)

In July 2011, a feature film adaptation of George Orwell's 1945 novella Animal Farm was announced to be in development, with Rupert Wyatt serving as director. Wyatt and Andy Serkis, who had worked together on Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), were slated to serve as co-screenwriters. By October 2012, Serkis was announced to have taken over directorial duties, with the project being developed as a HFR-3D film. In August 2018, Netflix purchased distribution rights to the film. After numerous delays, Serkis once again began pre-production on the project, after completing his directing duties for the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).

By April 2022, it was announced that production had commenced as an animated film at Cinesite Studios, with a screenplay written by Nicholas Stoller. Serkis also served as producer, alongside Adam Nagle, Dave Rosenbaum, and Jonathan Cavendish with both Stoller and Wyatt set to serve as executive producers. Connie Nartonis Thompson produced the film on behalf of Cinesite. The project is a joint-venture production between Cinesite, Aniventure, and the Imaginarium Productions, with Netflix dropping the distribution rights. In March 2023, during an interview with Screen Rant, Serkis stated that one year of production had passed while another year was left for the film. Deadline Hollywood reported in May 2024 that Animal Farm finished production.

In April 2025, the cast was announced, with Serkis, Seth Rogen, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Iman Vellani, and Kieran Culkin among the additions.

Release

Animal Farm (2025 film)

Animal Farm had its world premiere on 9 June 2025, at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It premiered in the United Kingdom on 11 October 2025, at the 2025 BFI London Film Festival. In December 2025, Angel Studios acquired the U.S. theatrical distribution rights for the film, scheduling it for a theatrical release on 1 May 2026.

Reception

Animal Farm (2025 film)

Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: "Serkis' 21st-century update dilutes Orwell's political allegory in favor of what passes for something more 'audience friendly': His approach adopts the celebrity voices, cutesy character designs and antic, mile-a-minute energy of big-studio American toons. The result isn't nearly as polished as Illumination or DreamWorks movies, but 'good enough for government work,' as the saying goes."

Pete Hammond of Deadline wrote: "With a screenplay, alternately funny and frighteningly perceptive by Nicholas Stoller, this gorgeously animated version is not outwardly trying to be political but nevertheless is uncannily meeting its time and proving to be a little too close for comfort to America's drift toward authoritarianism." Rafael Motamayor's IGN review noted that Serkis shifts Orwell's allegory from Stalinism to modern corporate corruption, trading a dystopian tone for "something a little more uplifting." He praised the visuals and cast, but felt the adaptation "lost some teeth" compared to the novel.

Tim Robey, writing for The Daily Telegraph, gave it one out of five stars, heavily criticizing the film: "A Trump-era makeover for this classic is totally misjudged, from terrible songs to toilet humour." In a mixed review, Wendy Ide of Screen International stated: "While it may struggle to satisfy diehard Orwell purists, the film still takes a political stance and delivers an emphatic message celebrating equality and the power of the collective."