Currently racking up experience as second unit director on The Hobbit, Andy Serkis, the man responsible for bringing Gollum, King Kong and Captain Haddock to life, is stepping up to helm the upcoming, motion captured adaption of George Orwell's Animal Farm. Produced by the actors production company The Imaginarium, this adaption of Orwell's study of the rise of Communism through the lens of a farm whose animals decide to take over, will use a variety of filming styles to bring the story to life. The project is very much in the development stage, with animation and puppetry being considered to enhance the motion captured performances of the animals (at the moment it is unclear if he is using actual animals, or actors to play the characters). Serkis has said he wants the finished project to be aimed at everybody, and not get too bogged down on the political side of it, saying " We're keeping it fable-istic, and aimed at a family audience." No release date has been given at this stage.
An animated adaption of the book was frequently watched in my house when I was growing up, so I'm quite interested in this. Serkis has been immersed in the world of motion capture ever since the first Lord Of The Rings, so he is the perfect person to help bring this vision of the classic story to life.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
