Andy Serkis Discusses AI in 'Hunt for Gollum,' 'Animal Farm' U.S. Reception

Actor and director Andy Serkis is currently in New Zealand working on "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum," slated for a late 2027 release by Warner Bros. Serkis, who will reprise his role as Gollum and direct the film, indicated that artificial intelligence will be utilized in the production process. He stated that AI tools are being employed to assist with aspects of the filmmaking, though he did not specify which particular tasks or to what extent.

Serkis also commented on the reception of his animated adaptation of George Orwell's "Animal Farm." He noted a significant "outrage" in the United States surrounding the film, particularly concerning the perceived use of AI in its creation. Serkis clarified that while AI was used as a tool to help generate the visual style and character designs, the animation itself was primarily created by human artists. He emphasized that the intention was to leverage AI to augment, not replace, the work of animators.

Furthermore, Serkis expressed his long-standing advocacy for greater recognition of motion capture performances within the film industry, specifically mentioning the Academy Awards. He believes that performances captured through motion capture should be eligible for acting awards, arguing that it is a legitimate form of acting that requires significant skill and dedication. Serkis feels that the industry has been slow to adapt to these technological advancements in performance capture, and that it has been "a long time coming" for such recognition to be considered.