Futurama will return once again for another final season, this time on Hulu. It’s not all good news, however, with certain cast members yet to agree on a return. The return is quite the surprise but not half as surprising as it would be if John DiMaggio isn’t secured for his role.
When the news broke, most of the cast had been confirmed for a return outside of DiMaggio. It’s a major loss due to his status as the voice of Bender, the face of the series and one of the more popular characters on the show.
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According to Indiewire, fans of the Matt Groening series are up in arms about Futurama without the iconic voice of the foul-mouthed robot. “Bendergate,” as it is being dubbed on Twitter, shows just how important DiMaggio is to fans at this point.
The voice actor took notice of the push and has had plenty of fun with the situation on social media, even addressing fans directly as the week came to a close. “Thanks for the concern and the props, everyone. I really appreciate it,” DiMaggio wrote. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted, but until then… CHEESE IT!”
Panic is likely overblown despite the situation seeming grave and troublesome for the show’s latest revival. Many rumors and speculation lend to some tough negotiations, with a return almost guaranteed by the end of discussions. DiMaggio will likely get the deal he deserves, the show’s return will go without too much trouble, and it is receiving the type of publicity you want for a nostalgic return.
That said, this is also the show’s fourth return and its third on television or streaming. The show initially aired on Fox as a lead-in to The Simpsons before it was canceled after four seasons in 2001. Much like the similarly canceled Family Guy, the show found new life through syndication and home video in the Adult Swim lineup. That success led to a few straight to DVD movies before Comedy Central stepped in to produce another three seasons of the animated comedy. This run would go from 2007 before cancellation struck again in 2013.
The new seasons did mess with some of the show’s more iconic episodes from its earlier seasons, including the emotional “Jurassic Bark.” But in general, those new episodes were well received, and the show had a solid series finale before this current revival. Hopefully, the same can be said when the new Hulu season premieres in 2023.
