Futurama: Season 11; Hulu Revives Cancelled Animated Series

Fry, Leela, and Bender have been revived — again. Hulu has announced that the Futurama series will return for 20 new episodes, the show’s eighth production cycle. Hulu says this new order will be split evenly between the show’s upcoming 11th and 12th seasons.

A table read will be held on Monday and new episodes will be released beginning in 2023. The show’s existing episodes can currently be found on the streaming service.

Cast members Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman are all returning for the revival. John DiMaggio, who voiced Bender and others, is noticeably missing from the announced cast. Word is that 20th Television Animation hasn’t struck a deal with DiMaggio to return yet, but both sides are still hoping an agreement can be reached.

Created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, the Futurama series debuted on FOX and aired from 1999 until 2003. The show was resurrected in 2007 as four direct-to-DVD movies that subsequently aired as 30-minute episodes on Comedy Central. Based on their success, Comedy Central ordered new seasons of the series which debuted in June 2010 and ran until September 2013. The series was cancelled once again.

Here’s the announcement from Hulu:

“FUTURAMA” LANDS FUTURE AT HULU WITH NEW EPISODES

LOS ANGELES (February 9th, 2022)- The future is looking bright for Fry, Leela and Bender at Hulu. 20th Television Animation and Hulu announced today the return of Matt Groening and David X. Cohen’s brilliantly subversive animated sci-fi comedy, FUTURAMA. The announcement was made today by Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment and 20th Television Animation Head Marci Proietto. The order is for 20 new episodes and the series will go into production in February, with a 2023 premiere. The show’s returning voice cast includes stars Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman.

“I’m thrilled to have another chance to think about the future… or really anything other than the present,” said David X. Cohen.

“It’s a true honor to announce the triumphant return of Futurama one more time before we get canceled abruptly again,” commented Matt Groening.

“When presented with the opportunity to bring fans and viewers new episodes of Futurama, we couldn’t wait to dive in. 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,” said Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.

“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. 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,” commented Marci Proietto, Head of 20th Television Animation.

First airing on FOX from 1999-2003, FUTURAMA was brought back in 2007 with four direct-to-DVD movies that subsequently aired as 30-minute episodes on COMEDY CENTRAL. Based on their success, COMEDY CENTRAL ordered new seasons of the series which made a triumphant return to television in June 2010. FUTURAMA is only the second series in the history of the medium to go back into production based on the strength of its DVD sales and repeat airings on cable. Over the course of its storied run, FUTURAMA earned six Emmy(R) Awards–including two Outstanding Animated Program, seven Annie Awards, two Environmental Media Awards and two Writer’s Guild of America Awards. Over its seven seasons spanning two decades, 140 original episodes were produced, with the then-final episode airing on September 4, 2013.

FUTURAMA focuses on the life of Philip Fry (Billy West), a 25-year-old pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself on December 31, 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later with a fresh start at life and a “diverse” new group of friends including Leela (Katey Sagal), a tough but lovely one-eyed alien and Bender, a robot who possesses human characteristics and flaws.

FUTURAMA, created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen, is produced 20thTelevision Animation a part of Disney Television Studios, with Rough Draft Studios, Inc. contributing the animation.

About Hulu:
Hulu is the leading premium streaming service offering live and on-demand TV and movies, with and without commercials, both in and outside the home. As part of Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Hulu is the only service that gives viewers access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network; libraries of hit TV series and films; and acclaimed Hulu Originals including Emmy(R) and Golden Globe Award-winning series The Handmaid’s Tale and The Act; Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy(R) Award nominated and Peabody-winning series Ramy; and Emmy(R) Award nominated series Pen15, Shrill, and Wu-Tang: An American Saga, alongside hit series Only Murders in the Building, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Great, Little Fires Everywhere, Normal People, and Solar Opposites; Oscar(R) and Emmy(R) nominated documentary film Minding the Gap, Golden Globe-Award winning and Oscar(R) nominated THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY, and critically acclaimed Hulu Original films VACATION FRIENDS, PALM SPRINGS, RUN and HAPPIEST SEASON. The service also streams live news, entertainment and sports from 20th Television, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks – available all in one place.

About 20th Television Animation:
A unit of Disney Television Studios, 20th Television Animation is a leading supplier of adult animated series. 20th Television Animation currently produces 11 animated shows across broadcast, cable and streaming services including the longest-running primetime scripted series in the history of television, THE SIMPSONS which recently celebrated its 700th episode; Hulu’s most-watched original comedy premiere to date SOLAR OPPOSITES from Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan; Emmy Award-winning comedy BOB’S BURGERS, from Loren Bouchard and Nora Smith; FOX’s long-running FAMILY GUY from Seth MacFarlane and showrunners Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin; TBS’ No. 1 series AMERICAN DAD! created by Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman and Seth MacFarlane; Apple TV’s CENTRAL PARK featuring the vocal talents of Josh Gad, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn and Tituss Burgess; and FOX’s most recent hit THE GREAT NORTH from Lizzie and Wendy Molyneux. Other 20th Television Animation classics include FUTURAMA, KING OF THE HILL and THE CLEVELAND SHOW.