GN, E! Out of nowhere the streaming service Hulu has decided to revive the beloved sci-fi cartoon Futurama for a couple of bingeable seasons. Who was expecting THAT today?
Matt Groening and David X. Cohen garnished the announcement with their thoughts on the news. “It’s a true honor to announce the triumphant return of Futurama one more time before we get canceled abruptly again,” said Groening. Cohen added, “I’m thrilled to have another chance to think about the future…or really anything other than the present.”
Nearly everyone is confirmed to return, including Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman….and now everybody is freaking out because John DiMaggio is missing from this list. That, however, does not mean Bender’s original VA is gone.
I appear to be the only one who remembers the original uncancellation in the 2000s that came with the caveat that NONE of the voice actors might return. This was due to an arm-wrestling battle between Fox and their agents over how much they should be paid. Everyone freaked out then, too, and didn’t listen to the experts that said “this is how Hollywood works, just wait it out.” Sure enough, Fox caved and agreed to pay them what they wanted, and they all came back.
It could be a similar situation with DiMaggio here. Logically, it makes no sense that a voice actor would refuse a major role, especially the one that made him famous before. We figure it’s another wage fight. Stay tuned.
All that being said, I’m definitely having a “Death By Snu-Snu” reaction to this. I love Futurama, but I was fine with 140 shows, and how the series currently ended. The show was kind of straining under its own weight by the time it last left, and I worry any more is just going to make it tired. I hope we’re not about to get a bunch of weak, Late-Simpsons “Bender gets a wacky new job” episodes. No matter who’s playing Bender.
