Netflix Purchases Rights to Andy Serkis-Directed 'Animal Farm' Adaptation

Netflix has bought the rights to the film adaptation of George Orwell’s 1945 novel Animal Farm with Andy Serkis tapped to take on the directorial duties. Serkis made a name for himself through his work as a motion capture actor in the Lord of the Rings trilogy where he played Gollum, and his role as Caesar in the Planet of the Apes films.

"We are incredibly excited to have finally found the perfect creative home in Netflix for this extraordinarily zeitgeist work by George Orwell," Serkis said in a statement, according to Deadline. "On top of that, to be re-united with my great friend Matt Reeves — with his acute sensitivity, storytelling intelligence and honesty and command in this realm — is to have the very best scenario for our long-held passion to bring this fable alive." Reeves, who will produce, previously worked with Serkis on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and War for the Planet of the Apes.

Netflix's purchase of the Animal Farm adaptation comes on the heels of the company acquiring Mowgli from Warner Bros. The film, which is also directed by Serkis, was slated for an October 19 theatrical release. However, Netflix has yet to unveil their plan for the project aside from indicating that Mowgli will come out next year. 

Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian revolution of 1917, which led to Stalin gaining control of the Soviet Union, and tells the story of a group of animals that band together to drive out their human overseers in an effort to seize control of the land, and rename it "Animal Farm."