Futurama writer David Cohen insists show is to return!

Post by **|darc|** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:12 pm

Matt Groening has faith in the relaunch of Futurama, writes Michael Idato.

Nearly four years after it was cancelled, the popularity of Futurama on DVD could breathe life back into the animated television series. On the subject of a rumoured resurrection, creator Matt Groening, best known for his other animated hit, The Simpsons, says, intriguingly: "You never know."

Such a trail was blazed in 2004 by another animated series, Family Guy. Fuelled by DVD sales and high-rating reruns, it spawned a direct-to-DVD film and two seasons of television episodes.

The move caught the television industry by surprise, and left several lost properties, including Futurama, ripe with possibility.

"Three months ago, I would have said we were going to start tomorrow," says writer David X. Cohen, who collaborated with Groening on Futurama. "And one month ago I would also have said we were going to start tomorrow. So ..." He pauses. "My current estimate is that we're starting tomorrow."

The series, relaunched on Ten earlier this month (it previously aired on Seven), was something Groening and Cohen tinkered with in the writer's room at The Simpsons for more than two years. Cohen's background was in computer science, but both, Groening recalls, had a passion for science fiction. "What Matt is saying," Cohen interjects, "is that I stood out as the nerd on The Simpsons writing staff, and that is really saying something."

In the series, pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry (Billy West) is accidentally frozen in a cryogenic facility and revived in 2999. Signing on with Planet Express, a space courier service, he befriends a one-eyed alien, Leela (Katey Sagal), an alcohol-powered robot, Bender (John Di Maggio), office manager Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr) and Dr Zoidberg (also voiced by West), a lobster-like alien.

Sitting in his office, an oasis of organised chaos in the relative calm of Los Angeles's 20th Century Fox film lot, Groening concedes their partnership was lucky but unlikely. "Not everyone wants to tell stories about robots," he says. Cohen adds from across the room: "I only want to tell stories about robots."

In Futurama, Cohen says, they hoped to "incorporate all the craziest ideas from science fiction, but we also wanted to have a point and reflect on life today. I think on our good days we had it both ways."

Their biggest obstacle was being taken seriously, Groening says. "We had this show that looked goofy, with robots and aliens, but was actually very sophisticated. Having people overcome the hurdle of taking us seriously was something we didn't anticipate. Interestingly, it was my original worry on The Simpsons, where I felt for sure kids would watch, but I didn't know if adults would give it a chance. What I love about the reaction to Futurama these days is that people who did give it a chance and fell in love with it are still ardent fans."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/of ... 46734.html

MulletMan13 · Post by **MulletMan13** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:22 pm

I saw this earlier today... these rumors have been going around for sooooo long, and it still appears there is a good chance (like there has been the last few months), but nothing finalized yet

Sadly I actually laugh at some of the geek humor in that show while my friends remain confused, but overall I love how much of an idiot Fry is.

Smiley · Post by **Smiley** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:31 pm

I hope it returns..I'm getting tired of the reruns on adult swim and hopeful that if family guy can make a comeback, it can as well.

In all sincerity, I love the early seasons of the simpsons but it has gotten progressively worse, imo, and they need to cancel it.

MulletMan13 · Post by **MulletMan13** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:40 pm

Yea, the Simpsons is like a failing relationship, but the people are too stubborn/scared to back out and move on.

impetus · Post by **impetus** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:45 pm

this would be very cool - I love Futurama

Ceeg · Post by **Ceeg** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:28 pm

I don't care for the Simpsons much anymore and i never really liked Futurama that much.

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:06 am

<3 Futurama

- Fuzmeister

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:51 am

there has been so much talk for so long about this but i am not holding my breath

and i wont untill i seee some absolute proof

a man can dream though, a man can dream

MetaFox · Post by **MetaFox** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:00 am

"So that's what things would have been like if I had invented the finglonger."

I'd also love to see Futurama return. It seems that every series that I've ever really gotten into is cancelled prematurely.

Post by **Quzar** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:40 pm

Farnsworth: No, I've never been there, but I had a friend who went to the central beuracracy once, he went completely mad just looking for the washroom.

Lela: Well, we'll need a guide, someone who's been there before.

Farnsworth: Oh, I've been there before, plenty of times. WHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 6:35 pm

Quzar wrote:Farnsworth: No, I've never been there, but I had a friend who went to the central beuracracy once, he went completely mad just looking for the washroom.

Lela: Well, we'll need a guide, someone who's been there before.

Farnsworth: Oh, I've been there before, plenty of times. WHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

"lookout i had to swerve my slowmobille to miss you now i'm gonna crash

10 seconds later hits boxes. they move slightly

muthafied · Post by **muthafied** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:43 pm

F*** Futurama, bring on Simpsons the movie due either 07 or 08 apparently.

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:46 pm

muthafied wrote:F*** Futurama, bring on Simpsons the movie due either 07 or 08 apparently.

now THATs funny

Veggita2099 · Post by **Veggita2099** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:52 pm

Smiley wrote:I hope it returns..I'm getting tired of the reruns on adult swim and hopeful that if family guy can make a comeback, it can as well.

In all sincerity, I love the early seasons of the simpsons but it has gotten progressively worse, imo, and they need to cancel it.

I agree 100% on The Simpsons. It was (and still is) a great show, but it has had a long enough run. The recent seasons have been horrible. I will watch reruns every chance I get, but the last few years you can tell they are just getting lame. I just wonder if they just want to beat Bonaza on the longest lasting show perhaps? That could be enough reason to continue making it, at least for them.

I would really like to see new Futurama's. I just wonder if they are having trouble getting the actors? As far as I know the only 2 that are semi popular are the actors for Leela and Fry?? I don't think that 6 steps show is going to last (if its even on anymore), and the only thing I ever heard of the guy playing Fry doing was Final Fantasy X? I like Futurama more then Family Guy myself, although both are good shows.

Since we are on the topic, does anybody know what the final episode of Futurama was? If I was going to guess I would say one of the last episodes was the one about 2 galaxies and Leela and Fry getting closer and such? Seemed like they was leading up to them getting together?

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:58 pm

Veggita2099 wrote:does anybody know what the final episode of Futurama was?

it was called "the devils hands are idle playthings"

it had an opera

and had a great ending

i wont tell you anything elso cause it might wreck it.. unless youve seen them all

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:04 pm

Veggita2099 wrote: I just wonder if they are having trouble getting the actors? As far as I know the only 2 that are semi popular are the actors for Leela and Fry??and the only thing I ever heard of the guy playing Fry doing was Final Fantasy X?

billy west who plays fry (and about half the other characters

) is indeed interested

also john dimaggio (bender) also shows great interest

billy west does heaps of voice acting I MEAN HEAPS

you would have heard more of his work: http://www.billywest.com

az_bont · Post by **az_bont** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:02 pm

Veggita2099 wrote:As far as I know the only 2 that are semi popular are the actors for Leela and Fry?? I don't think that 6 steps show is going to last (if its even on anymore), and the only thing I ever heard of the guy playing Fry doing was Final Fantasy X?

Tidus, from Final Fantasy X, was played by James Arnold Taylor, who has done a tonne of videogame voice-overs, but not much else.

Fry, from Futurama, was played by Billy West, who has done some game voice-overs, as well as some cartoons - he is the current voice of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.

I always got the two confused, too

.

ian · Post by **ian** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:36 pm

billy is also the red m&m

muthafied · Post by **muthafied** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:20 am

ian wrote:
muthafied wrote:F*** Futurama, bring on Simpsons the movie due either 07 or 08 apparently.
now THATs funny

Unfortunately I can't reply to this post now because I have to go brush my teeth with my toothbrush and my corporate sponsored tooth paste. cher

ian · Post by **ian** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:14 am

stupid n00b