A new adaptation of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” an allegorical commentary on communism told through the eyes of farmyard animals, is heading to theaters this week. 

Directed by Andy Serkis and starring Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Kieran Cuklin and Glenn Close, this animated feature film is the third adaptation of the 1945 novella. There was also a live-action television film in 1999 featuring the voices of Kelsey Grammer, Ian Holm, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Patrick Stewart. 

But perhaps the most interesting adaptation of the book—also an animated movie—featured a relatively little-known voice cast … and quite a lot of help from the CIA. 

Yep, the CIA. 

The top U.S. intelligence agency—then only eight years in existence—funded the 1954 animated movie, which is why, if you’ve only seen that version of the story and never read the book, you might not know the true ending. 

Nearly a decade after the end of World War II, the United States was in the midst of a new battle, this time against communism. This was the time of the Second Red Scare, also known as the McCarthy era after then-U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy, a Republican from Wisconsin who sought to root out communists and Soviet sympathizers within American society and government. 

The U.S. government relied heavily on propaganda during World War II, primarily through patriotic films, posts, books, radio programs and even comic books. That continued into the Cold War, and after Orwell’s death, CIA officer Howard Hunt sent undercover agents to buy the rights to “Animal Farm” from his widow, Sonia Orwell, according to History.com. 

Tony Shaw, who wrote “Hollywood’s Cold War,” said Orwell’s allegory “was perceived as having a simple story that would be accessible to families, children and people of all educational levels.”

“They wanted to make it clear to ordinary people that communism is a danger to you.”

Sonia Orwell agreed to sell the rights, and Hunt chose Louis de Rochemont to work as a middleman between the CIA and those who would ultimately film the movie and who knew nothing about the CIA’s involvement. De Rochemont was an American filmmaker who created “The March of Time” newsreel series, a blend of news documentary and dramatization that ran from 1935 until 1951. 

The Guardian reported in 2003 that De Rochemont selected British filmmakers Joy Batchelor and John Halas to direct the film largely because he didn’t trust American filmmakers and animators, many of whom had come under fire by the anti-communist House Un-American Activities Committee in the U.S. Congress. 

The wife-and-husband team of Batchelor and Halas also had extensive history producing war propaganda films for the British government during World War II. 

“Animal Farm” might seem like a strange story to use for its anti-communist messaging if for no other reason than that it’s equally critical of capitalism, the United States’ bread and butter. 

The book follows the lives of a menagerie of farm animals who live on a poorly run farm in England. The boars lead a revolt against the human farmer, Mr. Jones, and establish a new system of governance on the farm called Animalism. 

The seven tenants of Animalism are meant to echo the pillars of communism, the most important of all, that all animals are equal. But Orwell’s story goes on to reveal that the old and new systems under which the animals live aren’t that different—both are a form of totalitarianism and restrict the freedom of those at the bottom of society. In fact, even the pigs now in charge of the farm begin to walk upright and resemble the human leaders of old.

But that wouldn’t work for how the CIA wanted to use the film, so de Rochemont had screenwriters Philip Stapp and Lothar Wolff change the ending of the story to eliminate the implied criticisms of capitalism. Instead, the animals suffering under Animalism/communism, again revolt and do away with the system. 

It’s unclear how exactly the newest adaptation will handle the messaging of the story. The trailers indicate a decidedly more kid-friendly version of the story, with plenty of humor and adorable animals. 

Serkis—you probably know him best as Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films—serves as director. To the premiere of the film, he wore a red-and-white hat akin to President Trump’s MAGA hat that read “Make Animal Farm fiction again.”

In an interview with Polygon last week, Serkis said he’s unbothered by a mix of negative and positive reviews of the film. 

Orwell is “claimed by both sides of the aisle, across left and right,” he said.

“Some revile him. Some adore him—on both sides. So he’s a very interesting storyteller and communicator of ideas.”

Ultimately, he said, he believes Orwell would’ve been happy the film is getting people talking about the issues. 

About the writer

Danielle Haynes is the co-founder and co-editor of Booked & Screened, covering book-to-screen adaptations, film and TV development.