Why Andy Serkis' New Adaptation Of 81-Year-Old Dystopian Novel Changes The Dark OG Ending

Warning: This article contains spoilers from Animal Farm.

Andy Serkis' new animated film Animal Farm has a different ending than the original novel, and the filmmaker is now explaining the reason why.

Animal Farm is based on George Orwell's 1945 dystopian novel of the same name and explores themes of corruption, propaganda and totalitarianism.

Serkis' adaptation is an animated take on the classic book, and in an interview with ScreenRant's Liam Crowley, the director opened up about why he gave the film a more hopeful ending that's at odds with the dark nature of Orwell's writing.

Serkis explained that the real world is already "so severe" that he wanted families who see Animal Farm together to feel a sense of hope that "there is the possibility in this ever-evolving circle of history repeating itself that we have to keep trying."

Serkis admitted that he's an optimist, so giving Animal Farm a hopeful ending felt more appropriate for him and speaks to his mindset in an uncertain world.

He even added a message at the very end of the film that says, "This film is dedicated to all those who are oppressed, your time will certainly come, and to all those who oppressed, your time will certainly come to an end."

"I feel that the world is so severe that we live in, and that families watching this together, I think I felt behooven to create a beat of hope that there is the possibility in this ever-evolving circle of history repeating itself that we have to keep trying. We just have to keep trying. And no matter how wrong it goes, you have to go back and reset it and try again. And so I am an optimist, and this, I mean, it's interesting. If people stay till the end of the film, and I hope they do, there's a quote which I put in, which is, 'This film is dedicated to all those who are oppressed, your time will certainly come, and to all those who oppressed, your time will certainly come to an end.' And that is really what this, I hope, will happen in life, and it's true because nothing is fixed forever."

The Animal Farm novel ends "in a very bleak place where there is no hope." Despite being infused with a more hopeful tone, the animated film doesn't end with a fully formed resolution.

As Serkis explained, "Lucky at the end is still faced with, 'Well, let's try and think this through again, and let's just start all over again." In other words, the journey may not be easy, but "you have to keep trying."

"So it is a revolving wheel. But as you say, the book ends in a very bleak place where there is no hope. And I wanted us to feel at least that we don't give a...It's not a resolution as such because Lucky at the end is still faced with, 'Well, let's try and think this through again, and let's just start all over again. And what are the good things we've learned from the journey that we've been on so far?' So it doesn't tie it all up nicely in a Hollywood ending bow. We definitely say at the end, it's not going to be easy, but at least you have to keep trying."

Animal Farm centers on a group of animals who attempt to create a non-human community that allows everyone to be free and equal. However, a dictatorship rises up to thwart those plans.

Aside from directing and producing the film, Serkis also voices multiple characters alongside a star-studded cast that includes Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close, Steve Buscemi, Laverne Cox, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Kathleen Turner and Iman Vellani.

Serkis is best known for playing Gollum in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. He also provided voice and motion capture for Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes.

His other credits include The Adventures of Tintin, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Star Wars, Black Panther, The Batman and Venom: The Last Dance.

Outside of acting, Serkis began working behind the scenes as a second unit director on The Hobbit films. Animal Farm is the fourth feature-length film he's directed after Breathe, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

His latest project is opening opposite the highly anticipated Devil Wears Prada 2, which reunites Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci after 20 years.

Animal Farm currently has a 26% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and is expected to gross less than $5 million on opening weekend.