It is such a surreal concept that it sounds like a discarded elevator pitch no studio executive would buy; and in a way, this was almost the case. This past weekend a new animated feature was released, a remake of the George Orwell classic satire, “Animal Farm.” To say elements of this adaptation were altered is an understatement, and the behavior of Angel Studios, the studio distributing this attempt, is deeply curious.
Everyone is familiar with Orwell’s allegory of communism, set on a farm with the animals serving as the players. The pigs ultimately rise as the authoritarians, oppressing the other livestock. But in the hands of this crew, the story has been completely contorted into an indictment of commercialism. Yes…seriously.
The most famous literary indictment of the Communist Manifesto has become an anti-Capitalist dose of messaging, and then, upon release, something else remarkable was on display: The studio facing negative blowback resorted to Orwell’s other work and tried to engage in thought police revisionism, as seen in “1984.” It is amazing to watch a promotional campaign accuse others of “wrongthink” as it resorts to “newspeak” to deceive ticket buyers.
For backstory, this film is a passion project for actor/director Andy Serkis, who worked on it for roughly 14 years, serving at turns as writer, producer, performer, and also ultimately director. During its formation, three European production companies were used, and at one point Netflix was the studio force behind this effort. That was the case in 2018, but it dropped from the project four years later. Production still continued sporadically, and seeking a new distribution partner, it ultimately saw a world premiere in the summer of 2025 at an animation festival in France.
Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail is the BEST. MOVIE. EVER.
— Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail (@animalfarmfilm) May 4, 2026
See it for yourselves, in theaters now! pic.twitter.com/cHhBeCc3GD
There was little interest from Hollywood, and it was not until this past December when the smaller faith-based Angel Studios – the company that put out the hit film “Sound of Freedom” and the popular series “The Chosen” – obtained the rights to distribute the motion picture. It was at this time that the altered concept of the film was revealed to be a critique of capitalism, and issues began to emerge. The lack of wisdom in selling a film with a message opposing sales economics seems lost a these wizards.
ALSO SEE: Christian Media vs. When Christians Make Media
The pairing of this effort with Angel was an odd decision, and the company appears to struggle with how to handle both the material and the public reactions. As people became aware of the bastardization of Orwell’s classic there was pushback on social media, and the Angel PR team began flailing. The first sign of trouble was posting rave reviews from deeply obscure sources, such as users on Letterboxd. One of the raves comes from People’s World Magazine, the pro-socialism news outlet. Uh huh.
Then, as people began to express dismay that Angel would put out an anti-capitalist film, the PR department turned Orwellian. When accounts on social media asked directly why the movie would abandon the central message of the book and take a position that is 180 degrees in opposition, the studio wonks became The Ministry of Truth and delivered a contorted reality.
The anti-communist themes Orwell wove into the book are very much present in this adaptation. It's a faithful take on his critique of corruption and power.
— Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail (@animalfarmfilm) May 1, 2026
The general public was not sold. Attempting to save face, the next move was to lash out at the very voices they intended to sway. Who at Angel thought it was a good idea to put out posts that compared critics of the film to the pigs portrayed on screen?! Yeah, they could look at how well this tactic worked for Disney on shows like “The Acolyte.”
We’re in love, and we aren’t afraid to show it.
— Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail (@animalfarmfilm) April 30, 2026
See Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail, in theaters tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/9eqy25vaSt
Faced with bracing critical reviews and audience pushback, Angel workers forged ahead. The irony is that after putting out a movie that recalibrated the central message of Orwell, in subsequent ads they displayed the pigs as they behave in the novel, becoming propagandists.
Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail is a HIT!
— Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail (@animalfarmfilm) April 28, 2026
See it for yourself in theaters this Friday. pic.twitter.com/dvKrAiAAXU
Misrepresenting the critical response (the movie sits with a dismal 24 percent favorable on Rotten Tomatoes) is some manipulative desperation. Also, in the above example, they alter the review from the media outlet World News Group, a Christian-based news site. So the studio appears to be bearing false witness about the report from a devout source.
This effort is something else to behold. The faith-rooted studio puts out a socialist film, lashes out at audiences, and provides agitprop negationism about the movie's contents in Orwellian fashion. It is perplexing, and the end result was not favorable. This weekend, the 14-year, $35 million production opened in the #6 position at the box office, as it appeared on 2,600 screens but earned a paltry $3.3 million.
And there is your lesson in socio-political economics. We see this misbegotten attempt becoming a money-losing venture for all involved, as this indictment of capitalism has been roundly rejected in the free market. There is your message for kids.
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