As Professor Farnsworth would say: “good news, everyone!” After nearly ten years of being off the air, the hit animated series Futurama is getting a revival over at Hulu. According to Variety, the streaming service has made a 20 episode order for the new season and is eyeing up a 2023 premiere date.
This Futurama revival is led by David X. Cohen and the creator of the TV series Matt Groening, and will move into production this month – to stay on track for its predicted 2023 release date. Telling the story of a delivery service crew in the 31st century, fans will see hilarious new space adventures unfold as the gang explores everything that the future has to offer. Along with the stellar news that Groening is on board, several original cast members will also be returning to planet express.
Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman have all been confirmed for the upcoming season. However, John DiMaggio, who voices the fan favourite snarky robot Bender, is still yet to close the deal on his casting agreement.
The possibility of Bender’s voice being replaced has caused some concern among the Futurama fandom. However, DiMaggio recently took to Twitter to assure fans that he will keep them posted on any updates, writing: “Thanks for the concern and the props, everyone. I really appreciate it. Don’t worry; I’ll keep you posted, but until then… CHEESE IT!”
Thanks for the concern and the props, everyone. I really appreciate it. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted, but until then… CHEESE IT! #bendergate
— John DiMaggio (@TheJohnDiMaggio) February 10, 2022
Hulu is the third platform to host the beloved sci-fi series Futurama, and this is the second time the series has been revived since it was initially released in 1999. After four seasons, it was cancelled on Fox before being picked up by Comedy Central – and now it is heading to streaming. Seeing planet express again on our screens is a welcome surprise but also not that surprising considering the shows huge cult following and critical success.
Futurama is the proud holder of six Emmy awards and has been nominated four times by the Writers Guild of America. In short, it deserves a comeback, and personally, we can’t wait to see what this next chapter has in store for all of us science fiction enthusiasts.