When George Orwell wrote Animal Farm, he set out to tell an allegorical retelling of the Russian Revolution and the dangers of communism, Stalinism, and collectivism. However, actor and director Andy Serkis’s recent adaptation sought to make capitalism the problematic system, and he joined weekday host Vladimir Duthiers on CBS Saturday Morning to promote it. In his report, Duthiers suggested that Orwell’s original and specific warnings are no longer needed. Therefore, “Serkis sought to adapt the book's themes to modern times.”   CBS's Vladimir Duthiers and actor/director Andy Serkis hype changing George Orwell's "Animal Farm" into a warning about capitalism instead of communism/Stalinism. Duthiers asks, "Within the film you have an essence of corporate greed and modern capitalism, a railing against… pic.twitter.com/N3DUPFCq6g — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) May 2, 2026   Serkis then declared, “It's only become more and more relevant with social media and fake news and also the rise of, you know, tyrants around the world, oppressive regimes. And we are not aiming political arrows at any—you know, the right or the left or—we're just saying authoritarianism, which is ultimately what Orwell is saying, is a danger.” Duthiers then wondered, “Within the film you have an essence of corporate greed and modern capitalism, a railing against that… Do you think that Orwell had that as part of Animal Farm in his book?” Serkis naturally agreed with his own take on Animal Farm, “It is part, definitely, because that's part of where power lies at the moment. And, therefore, that becomes part of authoritarianism.” Orwell was an interesting guy politically. Nobody could seriously claim Orwell was a devoted free marketer, but he was clearly concerned that their argument that the Soviet Union was the logical conclusion of collectivist and socialist thought had merit. In the day and age where people like Hasan Piker are campaigning for Democratic candidates and appearing on allegedly reputable outlets, such concerns are as relevant in “modern times” as they were in Orwell’s. Here is a transcript for the May 2 show: CBS Saturday Morning 5/2/2026 9:25 AM ET VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: Serkis sought to adapt the book's themes to modern times. ANDY SERKIS: It's only become more and more relevant with social media and fake news and also the rise of, you know, tyrants around the world, oppressive regimes. And we are not aiming political arrows at any—you know, the right or the left or—we're just saying authoritarianism, which is ultimately what Orwell is saying, is a danger. DUTHIERS: Within the film you have an essence of corporate greed and modern capitalism, a railing against that. MR. WHYMPER/STEVE BUSCEMI: I am here to discuss what you owe the bank. DUTHIERS: Do you think that Orwell had that as part of Animal Farm in his book? SERKIS: It is part, definitely, because that's part of where power lies at the moment. And, therefore, that becomes part of authoritarianism.