Matt Groening and David X. Cohen will resume their roles as the show’s original creators, as will Billy West and Katey Sagal.
The creators of Futurama, Matt Groening and David Cohen, have resurrected the program for a 20-episode run on Hulu, their third venue for the animated comedy.
This month, filming will begin on the sitcom that ran for five seasons on Fox before being renewed for three further seasons on Comedy Central.
After a long deal-making time, Billy West (Fry), Katey Sagal (Leela), Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman will all reprise their roles.
John DiMaggio’s arrangement to reprise his role as Bender, the wisecracking robot with the “bright metal ass,” is still intact.
Cohen expressed delight at the idea of another chance to reflect on the future or anything other than the here and now.
Additionally, Groening said, “It is a pleasure to proclaim the triumphant return of Futurama one last time before we are unceremoniously canceled again.”
Futurama was conceived by Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, and was originally scheduled to show on Sundays as a companion to the long-running cartoon series.
However, before the show’s demise due to a series of scheduling adjustments, the network broadcast its first season on Tuesdays.
Groening grumbled for years that although his now-defunct studio, 20th Television, owned the series fully, the network refused to fund it. Fox chose to discontinue Futurama at the end of 2003.
It was resurrected in 2007 with four direct-to-DVD films that Comedy Central, owned by ViacomCBS, would show in 30-minute installments. Comedy Central renewed the program for more seasons in 2010 due to the show’s success.
The sitcom was revived for a second season in late 2013 after seven seasons and 140 episodes distributed over two networks.
When asked about delivering new Futurama episodes to fans and viewers, Hulu and ABC Entertainment’s head of originals, Craig Erwich, said, ‘We couldn’t wait to get in.’
Matt & David’s famous series helped set the bar for success in the early days of adult animation, and we look forward to Matt & David continuing to guide the way and further establishing Hulu as the foremost destination for fans of the genre.
Futurama will join Hulu’s collection of original animated programs, including Animaniacs, Solar Opposites, and Crossing Swords.
Adult animation collection titles include some of Hulu’s most popular series, including Family Guy, Rick and Morty, Bob’s Burgers, South Park, and the original Futurama.
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These programs have grown in popularity due to their rewatchability and enormous fan bases.
I love animation because it allows popular series to be placed on pause and then picked up years later on another platform,” said Marci Proietto, head of the animation at 20th Television Animation. This firm creates animated material for television. Futurama, in my view, is one of those series.
Hulu’s enthusiasm has reached new heights with the return of Matt and David’s remarkable invention for new episodes. I’m happy that our Planet Express team will soon share further tales and experiences.
“This is a victory for both returning viewers and newbies.”
Futurama joins the ranks of other adult animated programs such as Beavis & Butthead, Daria spinoff Jodie, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Clone High, and, according to reports, King of the Hill.
Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, creators of Beavis & Butthead and King of the Hill, have created an animation studio to expand the genre into new boundary-pushing tones and styles in response to the growing demand for adult animation.
Their firm, Bandera, is presently developing over a dozen adult animated programs.
Although animated programs cost more to create than their live-action counterparts, they continue to be a popular option for reboots and new series. The epidemic has had minimal influence on animated series development.
It’s a positive indicator when a program like The Simpsons, Family Guy, or Rick and Morty becomes a multibillion-dollar brand.
Futurama won seven Annie Awards and two WGA Awards during its initial run, including two for Outstanding Animated Program and six for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Groening and Cohen will have three animated series on the air when Futurama joins Fox’s The Simpsons and Netflix’s Disenchantment.