The "War for the Planet of the Apes" actor is reprising his role in the Rian Johnson-directed film, which also features actors Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie and Domhnall Gleeson.
"This time you get to see him, as in his real presence. In the previous movie we saw him as this huge hologram and tele-presence, and you get to meet him in the flesh this time," Serkis told the Entertainment Weekly.
"The thing about Snoke is that he is extremely strong with the Force, the dark side of the Force. He's terribly powerful, of course. But he is also a very vulnerable and wounded character.
"He has suffered and he has suffered injury. The way that his malevolence comes out is in reaction to that. His hatred of the Resistance is fuelled by what's happened to him personally," he said.
The eighth chapter of the popular franchise will release on December 15.