'Futurama' Revival: Main Star Not Returning Over Salary Dispute

By Daniel S. Levine

When Futurama returns, it might not have the original voice of Bender, the foul-mouthed robot who has become one of the faces of the beloved cult classic animated series. John DiMaggio is the only major cast member who didn't sign on for the Hulu revival, and he's already rallying fans for his cause. Disney's Hulu ordered 20 new episodes of the series on Wednesday, almost 10 years after the last new episode aired.

Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman have all signed on to return. DiMaggio, who voiced Bender and several other characters, was not mentioned in the announcement. That was seen as a major betrayal by many Futurama lovers, especially after Hulu featured only Bender in a tweet announcing the revival.

While The Hollywood Reporter claimed DiMaggio was "finalizing" a deal to return, Deadline made it sound as if the two are far from reaching any agreement. Sources told the site that 20th Television Animation was in the process of recasting the role before the first table read on Monday. Although the talks reached a "standstill," 20th Television and DiMaggio want him back. DiMaggio reportedly received an offer similar to West and Sagal's, but DiMaggio believed the proposal was "not competitive based on the success and name recognition of the original series."

After the outpouring of support, DiMaggio thanked his fans and began retweeting them. "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," the actor wrote Wednesday night. He added the hashtag "bendergate."

DiMaggio has frequently collaborated with Futurama co-creator Matt Groening. He even voices a character on the animator's ongoing Netflix show, Disenchantment. He's also voiced characters in American Dad!, Teen Titans Go!, and Rick and Morty. In August 2020, he told ComicBook.com he would love to join another Futurama reunion. Since the show ended in 2013, he did contribute to the Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow mobile game and the "Radiorama" podcast episode.

Futurama was created by Groening and David X. Cohen, who will both be involved in the revival, which will air in 2023. Futurama originally aired for four seasons on Fox. The show was later revived for four movies before Comedy Central ordered more episodes. Futurama finished its original run with 140 episodes, which are now available on Hulu. The series tells the story of Fry (West), a pizza delivery guy who accidentally froze himself and woke up in the 31st Century. He then joined an interplanetary delivery company, working with Leela (Sagal) and Bender.

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