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Andy Serkis' Animated “Animal Farm” Flops with 24% Rating

5/5/2026

42 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Director Andy Serkis released an animated Animal Farm in May 2026, drawing strong negative reviews.
The film holds a 24% Rotten Tomatoes rating based on about 50 reviews.
Critics say it suffers from tone shifts, weak animation and flat humor.
Production switched from motion-capture to full animation to make the story innocent for younger viewers.
The voice cast includes Seth Rogen, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Woody Harrelson and Kieran Culkin.

History

Historical Context

The Pebble and the Penguin, released April 12 1995, was Don Bluth and Gary Goldman’s last hand-painted cel feature and the final film of Don Bluth Limited before the studio went bankrupt. Production began in November 1991, but MGM’s late-stage cuts caused the directors to remove their names from the credit. The movie earned $3.9 million against a $28 million budget, marking a significant box-office loss.

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Story summary

Director Andy Serkis released an animated Animal Farm in May 2026, drawing strong negative reviews.
The film holds a 24% Rotten Tomatoes rating based on about 50 reviews.
Critics say it suffers from tone shifts, weak animation and flat humor.
Production switched from motion-capture to full animation to make the story innocent for younger viewers.
The voice cast includes Seth Rogen, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Woody Harrelson and Kieran Culkin.

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