Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis Talks RISE OF THE APES, THE HOBBIT, Directing 2nd Unit, 3D, and More at SBIFF

by Christina Radish    Posted: February 5th, 2012 at 8:36 am

Although he is an accomplished stage and screen actor in his own right, Andy Serkis has become the go-to guy for motion capture performance. He was remarkable as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and as the title character in King Kong, but it was his work as the intelligent chimp Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes that earned him a Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actor had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Andy Serkis talked about how performance capture technology is just another form of acting, finding his inner ape to play Caesar and why that character is different from Kong, what it was like to revisit the character of Gollum for The Hobbit films, so many years later, how great it is to work on the live-action set this time, and the experience of working with all of the actors who are new to Middle Earth while also directing Second Unit. Check out what he had to say after the jump.

Behind-the-Scenes RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Video Proves Why Andy Serkis Deserves an Oscar Nomination

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 16th, 2012 at 10:29 am

Because major Awards bodies still think in 20th century terms, it’s unlikely Andy Serkis will get the Oscar nomination he deserves for Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  There seems to be confusion over whether digital make-up does too much work for the actor, and I can understand that thinking.  However, when it comes to Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Serkis’ performance as Caesar, that thinking is absolutely wrong and a new behind-the-scenes video proves it.  If anything, the video shows WETA’s incredible special effects almost struggling to keep up with the actor rather than embellishing his performance.

If you had any doubt as to whether or not Serkis deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance, hit the jump to check out this video.  Oscar nominations will be announced on January 24th at 8:38 AM (EST).

New Production Video for THE HOBBIT Takes Us Behind-the-Scenes of Location Shooting

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 23rd, 2011 at 12:25 pm

Director Peter Jackson continues to give fans an incredibly insightful peek into the production on his two-part The Hobbit adaptation with yet another production video. While the last behind-the-scenes look focused on the 3D aspect of shooting (it’s a must-see and I highly suggest you check it out), the latest video gives us a look into the logistics of location shooting. Jackson and Co. are currently towards the end of a seven-week location shoot schedule, which will provide the director with plenty of gorgeous New Zealand vistas that he’ll transform into Middle Earth.

We get a look into the ridiculously herculean task of moving the entire production unit around the country of New Zealand, and we also get to see quite a bit of shooting. In addition to watching Jackson work, we get a peek at Andy Serkis who’s directing second-unit on the pics, and we get to see Elijah Wood return to Hobbiton. Hit the jump to check out the latest production video. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives December 14th, 2012, while The Hobbit: There and Back Again will hit theaters on December 13, 2013.

First Trailer and Poster for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 20th, 2011 at 6:51 pm

Finally, the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released. Peter Jackson returns to direct the adventure of young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who sets out on an adventure with a company of dwarves. This trailer really is like a warm embrace from an old friend. While most trailers this far out from release show very little in the way of footage, Jackson shows off a great deal. Freeman looks excellent as Bilbo, the dwarves are fantastic (they sing!), and the tag brought a big smile to my face. While a year is a very long time to wait, this snippet is a swell look into the wonder to come.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer. The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14, 2012.

New TV Spot for THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 11th, 2011 at 9:55 am

Steven Spielberg‘s The Adventures of Tintin has been picking up acclaim both at home and abroad.  The movie screened at the AFI Festival last night to rave reviews, and the movie has racked up over $123.4 million overseas as it continues to expand into foreign countries.  Tintin is being hailed as the true sequel to Indiana Jones, and the latest TV spot is another piece of evidence to support that audacious claim.

Hit the jump to check out the TV spot.  The film stars Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Daniel Craig.  The Adventures of Tintin opens in 3D on December 21st.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Getting Multiple Sequels, Andy Serkis and Rupert Wyatt to Return; Studio Fighting to Get Serkis an Oscar Nomination

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 3rd, 2011 at 11:51 am

The film that surprised me the most this year was undoubtedly Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Going into the movie, I saw it as an unnecessary cash-in on the Planet of the Apes franchise that inexplicably starred James Franco. Much to my surprise, director Rupert Wyatt delivered one of the most emotional films of the year with a powerhouse performance by Andy Serkis in some of the best motion-capture these eyes have ever seen. With that, I’m happy to report that Fox is now officially moving forward with a sequel to the film as they’ve just closed a very hefty deal for Serkis to return and reprise his role as Caesar. Hit the jump for more, including who else is returning for the follow-up and news on Fox’s push for awards consideration for Serkis’ performance.

New Featurette and Interview for THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN; Plus a Brief Look at Peter Jackson’s Fake Screen Test to Play Captain Haddock

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 19th, 2011 at 9:45 am

A new featurette for The Adventures of Tintin has gone online along with an interview with director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson.  In the featurette, Spielberg explains how he was introduced to Tintin and he calls his movie “Unapologetic, shameless adventure,” as if there was anything to apologize for or be ashamed about adventure.  But the best moment in the featurette by far is the screen test for Snowy (Tintin’s dog) that also allowed Jackson to come on and fake audition for the role of Captain Haddock even though the whole movie is motion capture (Andy Serkis plays the role in the movie).  I saw the whole screen test at Comic-Con and it was one of the highlights of Hall H.  Hopefully, they’ll include the full screen test on the Blu-ray.

Hit the jump to check out the featurette along with Spielberg and Jackson talking about they met, how they came to work together on Tintin, and how this movie was his first true collaboration.  The Adventures of Tintin opens in 3D on December 21st.

New Trailer for THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 17th, 2011 at 5:15 pm

Earlier this month, we posted five short clips from Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin. Just today we brought you a new official poster and some fan-made opening credits. Now, we have the new trailer for the mo-cap project that showcases a bit more action than the UK one that posted recently.

The Adventures of Tintin is based on one of the most popular comic book series in Europe and as such, will open in the UK on October 26^th. Since our American sensibilities need some time to warm up to this foreign hero, the film will open stateside on December 21^st. The Adventures of Tintin stars Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg and Daniel Craig and was produced by Spielberg and Sir Peter Jackson. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

New UK Trailer for THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 5th, 2011 at 7:30 am

A new UK trailer for Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin has gone online.  It’s become pretty clear by now that Tintin is his spiritual sequel to the Indiana Jones movies, not Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  The set-pieces on display look tremendous and I’m excited to see how they’ll play on the big screen as opposed to my computer monitor.  I also applaud Tintin (voiced and mo-capped by Jamie Bell) for using every part of the motorcycle.  I’m tired of wasteful bikers.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Daniel Craig.  The Adventures of Tintin opens in 3D in the UK on October 26th and in the US on December 21st.

17 New Images from THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 19th, 2011 at 10:42 am

What I saw of The Adventures of Tintin at Comic-Con got me interested in the flick, but between this flick and War Horse, Spielberg is really banking on his name carrying these movies at the box office (at least in their opening weekend).  They’re both set in the middle of a competitive December and neither one has big-name stars (Daniel Craig plays the villain in Tintin, but he’s motion-captured and his character looks nothing like him).  I don’t know how Tintin will do at the box office (my prediction is that it will flop domestically but kill internationally where people have actually read Serge’s Tintin comics [Correction: it’s Hergé, further proving that I am a person who has never read the comics), but I’m just hoping it’s a good, old-fashioned adventure flick.

17 new images from the film have landed online and while they give a sense of the tone, it’s crucial to see what motion-capture movies look like in, well, motion.  Hit the jump to check out the images.  The film also stars Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost.  The Adventures of Tintin opens in 3D on December 23rd.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 4th, 2011 at 3:02 pm

You’re not supposed to cut out your stars half-way through your blockbuster movie.  You’re not supposed to rest your big summer movie on apes created by CGI motion-capture technology.  You’re not supposed to sell an audience on the far-fetched idea that humans can be defeated by a species that doesn’t have opposable thumbs [correction: Apes do have opposable thumbs.  We're all doomed].  You’re not supposed to leave the audience on a down note.  There’s so much that goes into making a formulaic, forgettable blockbuster and no one told the folks behind Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  Instead, Rupert Wyatt, the screenwriters, the actors, and the special effects team broke all the rules and came out with one the summer’s most exciting movies.

5 Movie Clips from RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 29th, 2011 at 11:38 am

New clips from Rise of the Planet of the Apes have gone online.  I liked the earlier clip I saw of Caesar (Andy Serkis) protecting his human father figure (John Lithgow) but now I want to go into the film not spoiling any more of it for myself.  However, if you still need to be convinced about pre-damned-and-dirty apes then hit the jump to check out the 5 clips.  The film stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton, and Brian Cox.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes opens August 5th.

Comic-Con 2011: Andy Serkis and Director Rupert Wyatt Interview RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

by Christina Radish    Posted: July 26th, 2011 at 9:00 am

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the first live-action film to star and be told from the point of view of a sentient animal with human-like qualities, who can strategize, organize and ultimately lead a revolution, and with whom audiences will experience a real emotional bond. Along with the technology itself, that extraordinary achievement is largely made possible thanks to the world’s foremost performance capture actor, Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong). Infusing Caesar the ape with nuance, soul, wisdom and heart, Serkis has helped to bring a contemporary view of the Planet of the Apes mythology to current movie-going audiences.

While is San Diego for Comic-Con, Andy Serkis and director Rupert Wyatt did a press conference to talk about how the performance is manifested in the film, bringing such a character to life with the intention of the actor behind it, the challenges of making a film of this level of ambition, the progression of motion capture over the years, and why there is such a fascination with apes, in general. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

Comic-Con 2011: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Panel Recap [Updated with Footage]

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 21st, 2011 at 5:02 pm

As part of Fox’s panel at this year’s Comic-Con in Hall H, the studio brought their franchise reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The film stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, Brian Cox, and Andy Serkis and features cutting-edge motion capture technology to bring the titular apes to life. Hit the jump to read my recap of the panel.

New Clips for RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES and CONAN THE BARBARIAN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 19th, 2011 at 10:26 am

New clips have gone online for Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Conan the Barbarian.  The Planet of the Apes clip does a fantastic job of highlighting the incredible detail in the facial animation for Caesar (played via motion capture by Andy Serkis).  We’ve seen glimpses of that detail before in trailers, but watching how the character’s expressions change over the course of a scene is really amazing stuff.  Also, having Caesar build a model Statue of Liberty is a nice touch.

As for the Conan clip, we see Lil’ Conan show he’s the baddest ass of all the young barbarians even though he’s shorter and doesn’t have a stylish white fur coat.  The Conan clip is red-band for the crazy violence, but you’ll watch it because it has a 12-year-old kid smashing apart a guy’s kneecaps.  Hit the jump for the clips.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes opens August 5th.  Conan the Barbarian opens in 3D on August 19th.

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