Futurama is making a triumphant return to Hulu on July 29, with a brand new 10-episode season that promises to delight both long-time fans and newcomers alike. The excitement surrounding the revival is palpable, especially with two additional seasons already in the pipeline. The cast and crew gathered at San Diego Comic-Con to celebrate the show’s enduring legacy, which has seen it canceled and revived multiple times over the years.
During a press roundtable at SDCC, executive producers David X. Cohen and Claudia Katz shared their thoughts on the upcoming season and the show’s rich history. One intriguing question posed was about the continuity of Futurama, which has been a staple of animated television for 25 years. Cohen explained that the responsibility for maintaining the show’s lore is somewhat shared. “It depends on which aspect you’re looking at,” he said. “Because Rough Draft has all the art going back forever. Every decade when we get renewed, they have to redraw everything at a higher resolution because the TV has more scan lines.”
Katz added to this, noting the advancements in technology that have allowed them to reanimate the title sequence multiple times, with the latest version being in 4K. “It’s funny because I was showing it to David and we were seeing things that we’d never noticed before,” she said. “We were like, ‘What is that? Did you put that in there?’ ‘No, that’s always been there.’ ‘Oh, cool.’”
Cohen emphasized the continuity behind the scenes as a key factor in the show’s longevity. “Many of the same animators and producers at Rough Draft Studios have stayed with the show throughout, which has been super critical and a little bit lucky statistically,” he said. He also pointed out that the writing staff includes many writers who have been with the show for over 20 years, alongside newer talent who are fans of the series.
Katz echoed this sentiment, highlighting the blend of experienced and fresh talent on the art side. Cohen then revealed a humorous secret about how the writers keep track of Futurama’s extensive lore. “The embarrassing admission that I’m about to make is that in the writers’ room, we are frequently consulting these fan sites to see what happened in the old episodes,” he admitted. “Even those of us who wrote the episodes. I’ve been to fan Futurama trivia night, for example, and came in second. It’s hard to compete with fans for the repository of knowledge.”
He continued, acknowledging that sometimes details slip through the cracks. For instance, he mentioned an animation error regarding Leela’s father’s mouth, which has changed its movement style over the years. “The thing is, he’s got very flexible jaws! So in some sense, some things do fall through the cracks of time,” Cohen said with a chuckle.
As the conversation shifted to the upcoming season, the excitement was palpable. Futurama Season 12 is set to premiere on Hulu, and the voice cast is eager to introduce a new wave of guest stars. John DiMaggio, who voices the beloved character Bender, expressed his enthusiasm for the guest stars joining the series, including Danny Trejo, Tom Kenny, Ana Ortiz, Cara Delevingne, Bill Nye, Kyle MacLachlan, and LeVar Burton.
“I was there for the LeVar Burton session,” DiMaggio shared. “And so LeVar and I are old friends, so I’m excited for that episode. Without saying too much about it, there’s also another very special guest in that episode that just is the icing on the cake.”
Maurice LaMarche, who voices several characters including Calculon and Morbo, added to the excitement. “The one where we previewed at the panel, we read them sometimes, because we recorded some of this during COVID, separately from the other actors,” he explained. “So you don’t get a sense of how well that story is flowing and the dramatic tension. And then you see it on screen and go, ‘Oh my God, it’s 15 times more brilliant than I thought it already was.’ And it was already brilliant.”
Hulu has teased that Season 12 will continue the crew’s wacky adventures, diving into themes ranging from birthday party games to the secrets of Bender’s ancestral robot village. The season will also explore Fry and Leela’s evolving romance, promising to keep fans engaged with the show’s signature humor and heart.
As the conversation continued, Cohen and Katz reflected on the creative process behind Futurama. They emphasized the importance of collaboration among the writers, animators, and voice actors. “As the actors, we’re just trying to impress the writers,” DiMaggio said. “They hand us this gold and we just gotta buff it, we gotta melt it, we gotta make it into statues, you know? It’s just this beautiful mind meld when you get down to it.”
Katz noted that the familiarity among the cast and crew contributes to the show’s success. “It feels like this show starts at the base Futurama family of you guys and writers and stuff, and you bring more people into the family,” she said. “People just really get along.”
The discussion also touched on the freedom that comes with creating content for streaming platforms like Hulu. Cohen mentioned that while they have the opportunity to explore more adult themes, they prefer to do so in a smart and sophisticated way. “There was actually an early draft of the script where a character said ‘shit.’ And it just didn’t feel right,” he explained. “It’s more fun to make the viewer put it together in their head.”
As the conversation wrapped up, the excitement for Futurama’s return was evident. The combination of seasoned veterans and fresh talent, along with the show’s rich history and dedicated fanbase, sets the stage for a thrilling new season. With the promise of new adventures and beloved characters, fans are eagerly awaiting the premiere of Season 12 on Hulu.
Source: io9, ComicBook
