No one said adapting George Orwell‘s Animal Farm would be easy. The story about farm animals becoming radicalized after almost being sent to a slaughterhouse is a classic piece of dystopian literature, and the task of transforming that narrative into a family-friendly affair that still carries weight is challenging. Andy Serkis is aware of the risk he’s taking by adapting Animal Farm for Angel Studios, and he’s seen your comments about that first (off-putting) trailer. In fact, he addresses that backlash directly during our discussion about Animal Farm, among other aspects of what I think is a worthy adaptation of a tragic tale.
During the Animal Farm junket, we spoke with the film’s director, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner (the voice of Benjamin), Gaten Matarazzo (the voice of Lucky), and Iman Vellani (the voices of Puff and Tammy) about Orwell’s cautionary tale and what it was like to bring the dark and disturbing story to life on screen.
While speaking with Serkis and Turner, we travel back to when Andy first read Orwell’s Animal Farm, and hear about the impact it made on him as a young man. Meanwhile, Ms. Turner talks about the thrill of playing Benjamin, a cynical donkey who becomes the voice of reason throughout the film.
After speaking with Serkis and Turner, we chat with Gaten Matarazzo and Iman Vellani about their respective roles. First, the duo talks about becoming part of a legendary story that has remained impactful across multiple generations. We quickly move on to some other questions, but you’ll have to watch the video to find out where the interview goes.
Animal Farm has received a lot of lackluster reviews and judgment from audiences (before they’ve even seen the movie). I stand by my review of the film (which many of you did not appreciate). Not everyone will feel the same way about a movie. We see different reactions to films all the time. While I can appreciate why some critics are angry with Animal Farm, Serkis delivered something worth watching. I still think Serkis’ take is dark, unnerving, and important, despite some song and narrative choices that don’t land. The good news is you’ll be able to judge the movie for yourself when it comes out on May 1.
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