The Hollywood Reporter has learned that one of Matt Groening’s other classic and beloved animated sitcoms, Futurama, will be making a return nearly a decade after its seventh season as part of a new 20-episode run for streaming platform Hulu. Both Groening and co-creator David X. Cohen will be back for the revival set for premiere in 2023, as well as many of the show’s original stars, such as Billy West and Katey Sagal, who voiced Fry and Leela, respectively. Fans are also campaigning for John DiMaggio to return as Bender, but a deal doesn’t appear to have been finalized yet.
‘Futurama’ Revived at Hulu (The Hollywood Reporter)
- Futurama was created by The Simpsons mastermind Groening and intended to air as a companion to 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.
- Over the years, Groening has complained that the network did not support the series 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.
“I’m thrilled to have another chance to think about the future … or really anything other than the present,” Cohen said. Added Groening: “It’s a true honor to announce the triumphant return of Futurama one more time before we get canceled abruptly again.”
“When presented with the opportunity to bring fans and viewers new episodes of Futurama, we couldn’t wait to dive in,” said Craig Erwich, president of originals at Hulu and ABC Entertainment. “This 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.”
“What I love about animation is that it’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,” said Marci Proietto, head of animation at producers 20th Television Animation. “Futurama is one of those shows. The excitement from Hulu about returning Matt and David’s genius creation for all-new episodes has been off the charts. I’m thrilled that this incredible team will get to tell more stories, and that our Planet Express crew will have more adventures together. It’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.”