Andy Serkis

When the first teaser trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ hit the Internet, no one could have predicted that so much attention would be focused on whose voice was actually narrating the trailer. Arguments between journalists and fans alike permeated the discussion around the teaser before it was ultimately confirmed that yes, that was totally Andy Serkis’ voice. Following that whole ordeal came rumors that Serkis would be playing not one, but two characters in the film, similar to the work he provided on ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’—but now the actor has spoken up to clarify his role in ‘The Force Awakens.’

ScreenCrush’s WookieeLeaks is a weekly roundup of everything ‘Star Wars’! From ‘Star Wars: Episode 7,’ to the upcoming spinoffs and the TV shows, if it pertains to that long ago, far away galaxy, we’re covering it here, bringing you our expert analysis...

It seems as though J.J. Abrams may have taken a note from Joss Whedon and ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ when casting Andy Serkis in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’ It was confirmed over the weekend that Serkis is indeed the voice narrating the first trailer for the new ‘Star Wars’ film and that he’ll be playing a live-action role in the film—but if a new report is to believed, Abrams may have ordered the ‘Avengers 2' Serkis Special: that’s one Andy Serkis live-action performance along with a generous portion of Serkis’ exceedingly talented motion-capture work on the side.

When the trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ was released yesterday, there was plenty to dissect and debate: who was the shadowy figure at the end of the trailer? Why was John Boyega in a Stormtrooper uniform? Why was Daisy Ridley speeding away? But one of the biggest points of contention was the voice over, which opens the trailer with “There has been an awakening … Do you feel it?” Fans and critics have been speculating over whether that voice is Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow, or possibly Benedict Cumberbatch. And now we have an answer.

While we’re still not entirely sure who Andy Serkis is actually playing on screen in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron,’ we do know that the actor returned to once again provide some of his excellent motion capture work in the sequel. And though he’s keeping his lips sealed about the role he’ll play in ‘Age of Ultron,’ he has spoken out about some of the motion capture support that went into re-teaming with Marvel’s Avengers.

We are living in the franchise-heavy film era, which can sometimes feel exhausting (see: ‘Transformers’) or can sometimes be very enjoyable, depending on the product. In television, having a clear endpoint in mind is a good thing (see: ‘Breaking Bad’); meanwhile, studios are now planning their franchises out years in advance. Again, this can be good (Marvel), or, as our own Matt Singer bemoaned, it leads to what he finds to be an unnecessary splitting of the final chapter to extend the life of a franchise. It’s refreshing, then, to know that some studios are playing things a little looser with their franchises, like hearing Andy Serkis say that he just isn’t sure how many ‘Planet of the Apes’ movies there will be.

With Fox currently pushing to get Andy Serkis nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' and with the film hitting Blu-ray and DVD soon, and with a third installment in the works, it was only a matter of time before we started hearing rumblings about the sequel. Director Matt Reeves has begun teasing what we can expect from the next chapter in the 'Apes' franchise -- specifically, what we can expect from Serkis' compelling Caesar character.

There have been few performances as effective and moving this year as Andy Serkis' work as Caesar in 'Dawn of the Planet of Apes.' Combining Serkis' raw acting with the technical wizardry of a talented visual effects crew, the role feels like another huge leap forward for motion capture performances. So, naturally, 20th Century Fox is out to get Serkis an Oscar nod, even if it means getting him nominated in the wrong category.

ScreenCrush’s Comic Strip is a weekly roundup of the hottest superhero movie/TV news items. From Marvel to DC and points in between, if it pertains to costumed comic book heroes, we’re covering it here, bringing you our expert analysis. This week, the 'Avengers 2' trailer arrives, Jesse Eisenberg may join a very interesting DC movie, and the other superheroes of the Justice League offer updates on their movies.

The trailer for 'The Avengers 2' was only released last night, but fans have already gone through every shot with a fine toothed comb, picking out every possible detail and squeezing every possible secret from the footage. All of the educated guesses and assumptions have led to one very interesting rumor: could Andy Serkis be playing the villainous Ulysses Klaw, a foe to the Marvel hero Black Panther?