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Before returning to Lord of the Rings' Gollum, Andy Serkis is directing a new animated version of a classic story

While you wait for Andy Serkis to return as Gollum next year, he's directed a kid-friendly Animal Farm movie

The poster for the Animal Farm movie — Image credit: Angel

News by Jules Chin Greene, Staff Writer

Published on Mon Apr 06 2026

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No, you're not imagining things. Andy Serkis is directing an animated adaptation of George Orwell's satirical masterpiece, Animal Farm. But don't expect all the darkness from Orwell's novella to make it to the screen.

A new trailer has dropped for the upcoming Animal Farm movie, directed by Andy Serkis, and it looks, dare I say... cute? This isn't Serkis's first time directing, either. He's also directed Netflix's Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and... Venom: Let There Be Carnage. And you know what? Let the man have fun.

Animal Farm will be released on May 1, which seems awfully soon. And just for a refresher, Serkis is still directing, producing, and starring in the upcoming film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is expected to hit theaters in 2027. Not much is known about The Hunt for Gollum besides Serkis's involvement, plus Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen boarding the film.

Speaking of book-to-movie adaptations, Stephen Colbert, of all people, is co-writing a new LOTR film called Shadow of the Past. Shadow of the Past isn't new material, like Rings of Power, but is based on five chapters from The Fellowship of the Ring book. Interesting!

Anyways, Andy Serkis's Animal Farm movie will hit theaters on May 1, 2026.

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Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.