TV Futurama being revived, on Hulu - 2023

SpeedSpeak2me

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Nearly 10 years after it signed off, Futurama has been revived for a 20-episode run on Hulu, the third platform for the animated comedy from creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen.

The series that aired its first five seasons on Fox before being revived for three more at Comedy Central will return to production this month for a 2023 premiere. Following an extended deal-making period, original stars Billy West (Fry) and Katey Sagal (Leela) along with ensemble players who voiced multiple characters Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman will all return. John DiMaggio, who provided the voice behind the wise-cracking robot with the ā€œshiny metal assā€ Bender, is finalizing a deal to return as well though a deal has not yet closed.

ā€œIā€™m thrilled to have another chance to think about the future ā€¦ or really anything other than the present,ā€ Cohen said. Added Groening: ā€œItā€™s a true honor to announce the triumphant return of Futurama one more time before we get canceled abruptly again.ā€

Futurama was created by The Simpsons mastermind Groening and intended to air as a companion with the long-running animated series on Sundays on Fox. The network, however, aired its first season on Tuesdays before a series of scheduling moves that ultimately doomed the show as Groening has noted over the years that the network did not support the show despite its now former studio, 20th Television, owning it outright. Fox would ultimately cancel Futurama in 2003.

The show was revived in 2007 with four direct to DVD movies that ViacomCBS-backed Comedy Central would ultimately air as 30-minute episodes. That success prompted Comedy Central to revive the series for subsequent seasons in mid-2010. The show would ultimately wrap a second time in late 2013 after seven seasons and a total of 140 episodes across two different networks.

ā€œWhen presented with the opportunity to bring fans and viewers new episodes of Futurama, we couldnā€™t wait to dive in, said Craig Erwich, president of originals at Hulu and ABC Entertainment. ā€œThis iconic series helped blaze the trail for the success of adult animation since its initial launch and we look forward to Matt & David continuing to pave the way and further establishing Hulu as the premiere destination for fans of the genre.ā€

At Hulu, Futurama will join a roster of original animated series including the Animaniacs revival, Solar Opposites and Crossing Swords. Hulu has become a go-to platform for adult animation library titles with Family Guy, Rick and Morty, Bobā€™s Burgers, South Park and the original Futurama. Adult animated series like Family Guy rank among the streamerā€™s most-watched titles thanks in part to their repeatability and sizable fan bases.

ā€œWhat I love about animation is that itā€™s possible for a successful show to take a pause and then resume years later, even on a different platform, and pick up right where it left off,ā€ said Marci Proietto, head of animation at producers 20th Television Animation. ā€œFuturama is one of those shows. The excitement from Hulu about returning Matt and Davidā€™s genius creation for all-new episodes has been off the charts. Iā€™m thrilled that this incredible team will get to tell more stories, and that our Planet Express crew will have more adventures together. Itā€™s a win for the fans who have loved the show since the beginning, and for the ones who will now discover it for the very first time.ā€

Futurama becomes the latest adult animated title to be revived and joins a roster that includes the upcoming Beavis & Butt-head update, Daria spinoff Jodie and The Ren & Stimpy Show at Comedy Central, Clone High at HBO Max and, per sources, King of the Hill, though the latter has not yet been formally announced. The demand for adult animation has become so large that Beavis & Butt-head and King of the Hill creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels recently launched an animation company to help expand the genre into new boundary-pushing tones and styles. Their company, Bandera, already has more than a dozen adult animated shows in the works for multiple platforms.

Adult animation remains a popular genre not just for reboots but for original series as the shows are cheaper to produce than live-action scripted shows. Whatā€™s more, production on animated series remains largely unaffected by the pandemic. In success, animated shows that catch on can become multi-billion-dollar franchises the way hits like The Simpsons, Family Guy and Rick and Morty have illustrated.

Futurama, which revolves around pizza delivery guy Fry who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and wakes up a thousand years later, earned six Emmys during its original run, including two for outstanding animated program; seven Annie Awards and a pair of WGA prizes.

Groening, who created Futurama and developed it alongside Cohen, will now have three animated shows on the air as Futurama joins Foxā€™s The Simpsons and Netflixā€™s Disenchantment.

Rough Draft Studios will return to handle the animation.
 

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According to Deadline, the role of Bender is currently being recast as a result of DiMaggio's negotiations with Futurama studio 20th Television Animation coming to a standstill. Reportedly, DiMaggio felt the proposal was not competitive enough, based on the previous success and ongoing name recognition of the widely popular original series. Fellow leads, West and Sagal, have agreed to a deal after a period of back-and-forth negotiating. Although on a more promising note, THR reports that an agreement is currently being finalized for DiMaggio to return as everyone's favorite wise-cracking foul-mouthed robot, though a deal has not yet been closed.
 

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SpeedSpeak2me

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The full quote from above:

ā€œIā€™ve been thinking about everything going on these past months, and just to be clear I donā€™t think that only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does. Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business. Everyone has a different strategy & different boundaries. Their ā€˜price.ā€™ Some accept offers, some hold their ground. Bender is part of my soul & nothing about this is meant to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama family. Itā€™s about self-respect. And honestly, being tired of an industry thatā€™s become far too corporate and takes advantage of artistā€™s time & talent. Look, I wish I could give you every detail so you would understand, but itā€™s not my place. Thanks again for the love everyone. Still hoping for the best. In the meantime Iā€™ll be in New Orleans shooting Interview With A Vampire for AMCā€”and very grateful to be! Thanks...ā€
 

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And Bender is back...


John DiMaggio, who voices Bender (and other chraracters) on the long-running and now-revived animated series, will join the rest of the showā€™s core cast for new episodes on Hulu. When the streamer announced the revival on Feb. 9, DiMaggio had not yet closed a deal to return, but itā€™s done now. He joins fellow regulars Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman.


A number of Futurama fans were vocal with their displeasure that DiMaggio wasnā€™t yet signed ā€” displeasure that the actor amplified on his social media accounts. On Feb. 15, DiMaggio posted a note on Twitter that reads in part, ā€œBender is part of my soul & nothing about this is meant to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama family. Itā€™s about self-respect. And honestly, being tired of an industry thatā€™s become far too corporate and takes advantage of an artistā€™s time and talent.ā€

With a deal now closed, DiMaggio was back in Bender mode on Tuesday: ā€œIā€™M BACK, BABY! So damn grateful for the love and support of fans and colleagues alike during this whole time (especially my wife, Kate), and I cannot wait to get back to work with my Futurama family,ā€ he said in a statement. ā€œ#Bendergate is officially over, so put it on the back of a shelf behind Xmas decorations, or maybe in that kitchen drawer with all of the other crap you put in there like old unusable crazy glue, or maybe even put it in a jar you save farts in. Whatever floats your boat, I donā€™t care, you get the picture. Iā€™M BACK, BABY! BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!ā€

Hulu will debut 20 new episodes of Futurama in 2023, with production set to begin soon. The series is on its third platform, having begun life at Fox in 1999. It ran for four seasons there, then was revived in a series of direct-to-DVD movies and eventually with original episodes on Comedy Central in 2010. (TV edits of the DVD movies aired as ā€œseason fiveā€ on Comedy Central in 2008-09.)

The Comedy Central run lasted two seasons (each split into two parts). In total, Futurama ā€” created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen ā€” has aired 140 episodes to date.

ā€œFrom the moment John DiMaggio auditioned last century, we knew we had our Bender,ā€ said Groening. ā€œSo congrats to everyone at Futurama. Weā€™re all back, baby!ā€

Added Cohen, ā€œJohn DiMaggio may be a great robot, but heā€™s also a great human being. Not many people or machines can say that. For the fourth time, itā€™s a once-in-a-lifetime thrill to be back with our entire original cast and the phenomenal animators of Rough Draft Studios.ā€

Futurama ā€” whose library also streams on Hulu ā€” will join a roster of original animated series including the Animaniacs revival, Solar Opposites and Crossing Swords. Hulu has also become a go-to platform for adult animation library titles like Family Guy, Rick and Morty, Bobā€™s Burgers and South Park, some of which rank among the streamerā€™s most watched titles thanks in part to their repeatability and sizable fan bases.

Disneyā€™s 20th Television produces Futurama, with Rough Draft Studios handling the animation. Groening and Cohen executive produce.
 
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