‘Futurama’ comes back for a new season

The popular animated sci-fi comedy series ‘Futurama’ will return for a 20-episode run on Hulu. The show is expected to enter production this month for a 2023 premiere which will see much of the original cast return to reprise their roles, including Billy West (Fry), Katey Sagal (Leela), and other actors who voiced multiple characters such as Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman. John DiMaggio, who voiced Bender, is also finalizing a deal to return to his role.

The creators of the show – ‘The Simpsons’ mastermind Matt Groening and writer David X. Cohen – will also be making a comeback, with Cohen saying: “I’m thrilled to have another chance to think about the future… or really anything other than the present.”

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

‘Futurama’ initially ran for five seasons on Fox before being canceled in 2003. The show was revived in 2007 by Comedy Central with four direct-to-DVD movies that ended up being run as 30-minute episodes. The success prompted the network to revive the series for more seasons in mid-2010. The show wrapped up in 2013 after seven seasons and a total of 140 episodes.

The show about a pizza delivery guy who accidentally freezes himself in 1999 and wakes up thousands of years in the future ended up becoming a cult classic, winning six Emmy awards during its original run, seven Annie Awards, and a pair of WGA prizes.