Is 'Animal Farm' OK for little kids? What parents need to know.

Animated movies with talking animals are a staple of every little movie lover’s entertainment diet. Political satires about revolution and inequality? Not so much.

One of author George Orwell’s most trenchant works, the 1945 allegorical novella “Animal Farm,” gets a new animated film adaptation (in theaters May 1) directed byAndy Serkisand featuring a high-profile voice cast including Gaten Matarazzo, Seth Rogen,Woody Harrelson, Kathleen Turner and Glenn Close. Don’t go expecting a serious narrative here, though: This new “Farm” carries over some of the original heady themes but it’s much more animals driving Lamborghinis and pigs throwing booze-fueled ragers.

But even with all the chatty critters, is it OK for young children to watch, given the subject matter? Here’s what moms and dads need to know about “Animal Farm.”

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

What is 'Animal Farm' about?

The movie centers on a young pig on Manor Farm named Lucky (voiced by Matarazzo) who can read and write. When a slaughterhouse van shows up to take Lucky and the other animals away, their leader, the smart sow Snowball (Laverne Cox), leads a revolt that drives out everyone but the animals. Snowball drafts rules to live by, but her rival, the lazy but charismatic boar Napoleon (Rogen), leads his own revolution, taking Lucky under his wing.

After driving Snowball out, Napoleon takes over and creates a power structure where pigs rules. (The motto: "All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.) Napoleon and the other pigs begin to act like man, striking a deal with a wealthy CEO (Close) to help each other out. Lucky sees bad things happening to his former non-pig friends, like good-hearted workhorse Boxer (Harrelson), and leads his own revolt against Napoleon.

Advertisement

'Animal Farm':Andy Serkis explains why he changed Orwell's iconic ending for new movie

What is 'Animal Farm' an allegory for?

Orwell's original "Animal Farm" was a political satire that explored authority, power and corruption through animals that overthrow the human running their farm. But what starts as a utopia where animals can live free and treat each other as equals soon turns sideways, instead becoming a dystopian state where pigs become akin to mankind and things aren't any better than they were at the start of the story.

What is the age rating for the 2026 'Animal Farm' movie?

The film is rated PG by theMotion Picture Association"for thematic elements, some action/violence, rude humor and language." The movie embraces being a talking animals movie that leans toward kids, especially with the antics of Napoleon. "This is the sound of freedom," he says after a loud fart. At the same time, it struggles to also be something more heady, given the themes of totalitarianism. Plus there are quite a few scenes that put characters in peril, and some that strongly imply their death.

Is the 2026 'Animal Farm' movie the same as the book?

The script by Nicholas Stoller ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall") keeps some of the bigger plot points of the book but veers in many other ways. Lucky, for one, is a completely new character that acts as the audience point-of-view way into the story. There are a number of modern touches, like the pigs going to the mall and buying sports cars and other human goods, and the ending is completely different.

Dwayne Johnson reprises his animated role as trickster demigod Maui in the live-action "Moana." Check out exclusive peeks at the latest Disney film and all the other movies you need to see in theaters this summer.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour" (May 8 in theaters): Billie Eilish embraces her brother Finneas O'Connell in a scene from the 3D concert movie, produced by James Cameron.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Blue Film" (May 8 in theaters): In the seductive thriller, Kieron Moore (left) plays a fetish cam boy whose latest client (Reed Birney) reveals a disturbing connection to the younger man's past.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Sheep Detectives" (May 8 in theaters): Officer Tim Derry (Nicholas Braun, left) and reporter Elliot Matthews (Nicholas Galitzine) investigate the suspicious death of a local shepherd in the mystery comedy, also starring Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Driver's Ed" (May 15 in theaters): Sam Nivola stars as a lovesick high-school senior who steals a driver's ed car in order to track down his college-freshman girlfriend and win her back in the teen comedy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Forge" (May 15 in theaters): Kelly Marie Tran (with T.R. Knight) plays an FBI agent investigating a string of art forgeries being done by a shady sibling duo and a disgraced millionaire.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "In the Grey" (May 15 in theaters): Jake Gyllenhaal (far left), Henry Cavill and Eiza González star as a covert team of secret operatives tasked with stealing back a vast fortune from a ruthless tyrant in Guy Ritchie's action thriller.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Is God Is" (May 15 in theaters): Kara Young (left) and Mallori Johnson play sisters who embark on a quest of revenge to kill their abusive dad and end up facing their family's charged history in the genre-mashing thriller.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Obsession" (May 15 in theaters): Michael Johnston (far left) worries about what his pals Sarah (Megan Lawless) and Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) might think when his girlfriend starts acting very strange in the horror movie.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Wizard of the Kremlin" (May 15 in theaters): Paul Dano (with Alicia Vikander) stars in the political satire as a manipulative government official who pairs with a young Vladimir Putin to reshape post-Soviet Russia in the 1990s.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Mandalorian and Grogu" (May 22 in theaters): In the newest "Star Wars" movie, Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver, left) meets up with the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu to help keep the New Republic safe from the threat of Imperial warlords.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Passenger" (May 22 in theaters): In the supernatural horror flick, Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell are a young couple who witness a terrifying accident and unwittingly pick up a dark demonic presence that they can't escape.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Saccharine" (May 22 in theaters): Midori Francis stars in the supernatural body-horror movie as a medical student haunted by a dark and sinister force after consuming human ashes as part of a new weight-loss craze.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Breadwinner" (May 29 in theaters): Nate Bargatze stars in the comedy as a salesman who struggles to keep his household – and three children – from descending into absolute chaos when his wife goes on an important business trip.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Furious" (June 12 in theaters): Miao Xie stars in the Chinese action thriller as a desperate dad who goes on a violent, vengeful rampage after his daughter is kidnapped by a criminal network and he receives no help from corrupt law enforcement.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Power Ballad" (May 29 in theaters): The music-filled dramedy stars Paul Rudd (right) as a wedding singer who jams with a washed-up boy-bander (Nick Jonas) and is thrown for a loop when the guy turns one of his songs into a career-redefining hit.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Pressure" (May 29 in theaters): The historical drama stars Brendan Fraser as Dwight D. Eisenhower, who has to either go forward with D-Day or postpone and risk losing World War II depending on unpredictable weather conditions.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Speed Demon" (May 31 in theaters): In the horror movie, a nun (Katie Cassidy) must overcome her faltering faith to battle possessed passengers while on a runaway train from Montreal to New York City that's been possessed by the demon Asmodeus.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Birthday Party" (June 5 in theaters): Willem Dafoe stars in the drama as a controlling tycoon throwing a lavish birthday party for his daughter and heiress on his exclusive private island, though she brings news of her own that leads to a family clash.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Carolina Caroline" (June 5 in theaters): Caroline (Samara Weaving) gets recruited by charismatic con man Oliver (Kyle Gallner) for a life of robbing banks and being on the road in the romantic crime thriller.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Masters of the Universe" (June 5 in theaters): Based on the popular cartoon/toy franchise of the 1980s, the fantasy adventure stars Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, who harnesses the power of Grayskull to battle the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto).

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Scary Movie" (June 5 in theaters): Anna Faris parodies Jamie Lee Curtis' "Halloween" final girl Laurie Strode in the sixth installment of the horror comedy franchise, which also spoofs "Sinners, "Get Out," "Scream," "Weapons" and more.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Disclosure Day" (June 12 in theaters): Emily Blunt plays a Kansas City meteorologist affected by an extraterrestrial presence – a secret that's been covered up for decades – in Steven Spielberg's anticipated sci-fi thriller.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "STOP! THAT! TRAIN!" (June 12 in theaters): The campy comedy stars drag queens Ginger Minj (left) and Jujubee, who play best friends and train stewardesses who work to keep the glitzy Glamazonian Express from being derailed during a catastrophic “Stormaganza."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Death of Robin Hood" (June 19 in theaters): The dark thriller stars Hugh Jackman as the aging title outlaw archer, forced to face a past full of crime and murder until a mystery woman offers him a chance at redemption before it's too late.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Finnegan's Foursome" (June 19 in theaters): Brian Muller (far left), Edward Burns, Brian d'Arcy James and Erica Hernández star in the dramedy as family members who head to Ireland to scatter their patriarch's ashes on the coastal golf course he loved.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Girls Like Girls" (June 19 in theaters): New girl in town Coley (Maya Da Costa, left) falls for her friend Sonya (Myra Molloy) in director Hayley Kiyoko’s adaptation of her best-selling coming-of-age novel.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Toy Story 5" (June 19 in theaters): Jessie (second from left, voiced by Joan Cusack) and her horse Bullseye are joined by new characters Atlas (Craig Robinson), Smarty Pants (Conan O'Brien) and Snappy (Shelby Rabara) in the Disney/Pixar animated comedy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Invite" (June 26 in theaters): Olivia Wilde (right, with Penelope Cruz) directs and stars in the dramedy about a struggling couple tempted by the upstairs neighbors with intimate circumstances that could bring them together or tear them apart further.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Supergirl" (June 26 in theaters): In her first DC solo adventure, Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) needs to save her beloved canine buddy Krypto and teams up with a vengeful youngster plus and a rambunctious intergalactic bounty hunter.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Minions & Monsters" (July 1 in theaters): Set in 1920s Hollywood, the latest "Minions" animated comedy finds the little yellow banana-loving dudes using an ancient spellbook to summon a bunch of fearsome monsters for their ultimate monster movie.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Moana" (July 10 in theaters): The live-action version of Disney's hit 2016 animated musical casts Australian newcomer Catherine Laga'aia as the title wayfarer on a mission to save the people of her island.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Odyssey" (July 17 in theaters): Christopher Nolan follows "Oppenheimer" with something truly epic. The adaptation of the Homer classic casts Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary Greek warrior embarking on a dangerous way home after the Trojan War.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Hadestown: The Musical" (July 24 in theaters): Reeve Carney and four other members of the original Broadway cast star in a recording of the Tony-winning show – a reinterpretation of timeless love stories from Greek mythology – performed in London's West End.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Motor City" (July 24 in theaters): Alan Ritchson plays an ex-con framed by a violent gangster who has eyes on his girlfriend (Shailene Woodley) in the action-packed revenge thriller, also starring Ben McKenzie and Ben Foster.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The End of Oak Street" (Aug. 14 in theaters): Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway play a married couple whose family has to navigate strange surroundings – and dinosaurs – when a mysterious cosmic event relocates their neighborhood in the sci-fi thriller.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie" (Aug. 14 in theaters): In their latest animated adventure, Ryder (voiced by Henry Bolan, far left) and the superhero pups of the Paw Patrol crash-land on a tropical island filled with dinosaurs after their ship gets caught in a mysterious storm.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Insidious: Out of the Further" (Aug. 21 in theaters): Amelia Eve stars as a young mother who discovers she can travel into The Further, the creepy realm of lost souls at the heart of the "Insidious" horror franchise.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Mutiny" (Aug. 21 in theaters): Jason Statham is an ex-cop working private security for a billionaire who, when framed for his boss' murder, boards a cargo ship on a one-man mission of vengeance in the action thriller.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Spa Weekend" (Aug. 21 in theaters): Isla Fisher (far left), Leslie Mann, Michelle Buteau and Anna Faris star in the comedy about three childhood best pals who have their needed spa holiday thrown into chaos by a trainwreck friend.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Coyote vs. Acme" (Aug. 28 in theaters): Wile E. Coyote (left) runs into his old foe, the Road Runner, and after decades of using shoddy ACME contraptions, Wile E. sues the corporation in a live-action/animated legal comedy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Finding Emily" (Aug. 28 in theaters): When a lovesick musician (Spike Fearn) is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student (Angourie Rice) to track her down in the British romantic comedy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Idiots" (Aug. 28 in theaters): Mason Thames plays a rich teen whose trip to rehab turns into complete mayhem thanks to two unqualified chaperones (Dave Franco and O'Shea Jackson Jr.) in director Macon Blair's comedy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Nimrods" (August in theaters): Green Day members Tre Cool (far left), Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt play themselves in the coming-of-age story, about a band of youngsters who mistakenly think they're opening for the iconic punk trio on New Year's Eve.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Couture" (summer in theaters): Swiss actress Ella Rumpf plays a makeup artist in the high-stakes world of Parisian fashion in the drama, co-starring and produced by Angelina Jolie.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Westhampton" (summer in theaters): Still haunted by an accident he caused in high school, a filmmaker (Finn Wittrock) is forced to confront the old friends whose lives he ruined and a town that despises him.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Exclusive peeks at summer's top movies – from 'Moana' to 'Supergirl'

Dwayne Johnson reprises his animated role as trickster demigod Maui in the live-action "Moana." Check out exclusive peeks at the latest Disney film and all the other movies you need to see in theaters this summer.

Is the 'Animal Farm' movie appropriate for little children?

"Animal Farm" has all the trappings of a kids' movie, with expressive cartoon animals and peppy songs. Yet it's also extremely dark at times: One scene involving Boxer is hard to watch, even for adults. There's also one eerie moment where Lucky sees, in horrific fashion, how there's no real difference between the ruling pigs and cruel humans. (So it's clear someone at least read Orwell's book.) The movie is probably best for 10 years and older: Younger kids might not understand the headier themes at play and likely will be bothered by the cruel way Napoleon and the other pigs treat their fellow four-legged creatures.

Is the new 'Animal Farm' any good?

A few parents might remember seeing the 1954 animated "Animal Farm" movie that didn't water down the meatier aspects of Orwell's story, maybe even in school. This is not that film. Serkis weaves in the deeper narrative – and almost seems to accidentally say something insightful about authoritarianism – but it's trying way, way too hard to also be a cute kids movie. You can imagine Orwell rolling in his grave when a pop-rap tune plays while Napoleon leads the animals to excitedly eat their winter's reserve of food and grain.

In these divisive times, a watered-down version of something so salient as "Animal Farm" – even a coming-of-age tale for children that leans into the importance of working together – just feels trite and unnecessary. (That it comes from a talented storyteller like Serkis is also head-scratching.) One can only hope that it inspires parents to lead their kids toward the OG book when they're old enough to understand its message.

When does the 'Animal Farm' movie come out?

"Animal Farm" is released in theaters nationwide May 1. For those wanting to watch at home, if it follows a similar pattern as other Angel Studios releases, it will likely be available to see on digital platforms and theAngel Guild streaming servicesometime in June.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Is 'Animal Farm' OK for little kids? A parent's guide