FUTURAMA coming back (2007-2008)

[srobert]

Good news everyone!

I know there are a lot of Futurama fans around here (Avatars, quotes, etc…). Most of you probably already know that there are new films/episodes coming up but here are the details just in case.

- Some history -

"I was frustrated when it got cancelled, but Fox, 20th Television is the one who came back and said, 'Would you like to do a DVD movie?'" Groening recalled. We said, 'Let's do two' and they said, 'Well, why not three?' and we said, 'Well, why not four?' and they said, 'Okay, four' and then that's it."

After this, Comedy Central won a bid to air the films as new "Futurama" episodes. "We're writing them as movies and then we're going to chop them up, reconfigure them, write new material and try to make them work as separate episodes. Chopped up is an indelicate way of putting it but we are doing them as movies and then we are reconfiguring them and writing new material and narration and this that and the other so that they'll stand on their own as episodes."

Glad the episodes will finally be out of Fox's clutches.

- The official announcement -

At Comic-Con 2007 it was announced that Futurama will return on November 27th as a full-length DVD release called Futurama: Bender's Big Score, which will be followed by three additional films: The Beast with a Billion Backs, Bender's Game and The Wild Green Yonder. After their release, each film will be divided into four episodes and air on Comedy Central.

The Comic-Con teaser is floating around on youtube. It's shamelessly making fun of Fox for cancelling the show . Here is a link. (poor shaky cellphone quality) Not sure how long it will last.

- Names of the four Futurama movies -

• Bender's Big Score
• The Beast with a Billion Backs
• Bender's Game
• Into the Wild Green Yonder

- Some details about the 4 movies -

All 4 new Futurama movie DVDs are going to be released in "Glorious Widescreen" (1.78:1) with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and will be available in both DVD and High-Definition format. Each of the feature-length movies (approximately 88 minutes) will be cut and reconfigured to be shown as four individual episodes on Comedy Central sometime after the release on DVD (date has not yet been set). The current plan states that the TV episodes are going to be in 4:3 to match the earlier episodes. All the more reason to buy the DVDs once they are available!

- More details about the first movie -

Futurama: Bender's Big Score
Release Date: Nov. 27th, 2007
Official Price: around $24
Preorder: Can be pre-ordered for less.

Plot summary ("highlight to read"):
When the evil naked aliens launch a cyber-attack on Planet Express, they make a shocking discovery: the secret of time travel, mysteriously tattooed on Fry's buttocks. Using their devious nudist software to control Bender, they repeatedly send the beer-fueled robot back in time to loot Earth of its greatest treasures. Bender's rampage through history has shocking repercussions when he encounters Al Gore (guest-starring as himself) during the 2000 Presidential recount. Meanwhile, Leela finds true love, a beloved crew member suffers an embarrassing decapitation, and Fry learns deep secrets about his destiny and his buttocks.

Characters to (re)surface:

• Santa Robot
• Kwanzabot
• Chanukah Zombie

Guest Stars:

• Former US Vice President Al Gore (himself)
• Mark Hamill (Chanukah Zombie)
• Rapper Coolio (KwanzaBot)
• cameo by comedian Sarah Silverman
• cameo by voice actor Tom Kenny

DVD Extras (list might change):

• A live math lecture on mathematical references in Futurama by Dr. Sarah Greenwald.
• A full-length (22 minute) episode of "Everybody Loves Hypnotoad".
• Full length and "highly disorganized commentaries, as usual".
• A few more smaller things as space permits.

- Some details about the second movie -

Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs
Release Date: in 2008 (exact date not set)

Guest Stars:

• Singer and actress Brittany Murphy
• Comedian David Cross
• Quantum gravity guru Prof. Stephen Hawking (himself)

- Some details about the third movie -

Futurama: Bender's Game
Release Date: in 2008 (exact date not set)

Guest Stars:

• George 'Sulu' Takei
• celebrity impersonator Rich Little

- Some details about the fourth movie -

Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder
Release Date: in 2008 (exact date not set)

Guest Stars:

• comedian Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller
• Radio host Phil Hendrie (who voiced the Waterfall family in previous episodes)

I can't wait to feast my eyes and mind on this

In the meantime, why not download these nice futurama icon sets:

Futurama Vol. 1
Futurama Vol. 2 - The Human
Futurama Vol. 3 - The Aliens
Futurama Vol. 4 - The Robots

Clicking will not start a download

All hail the hypnotoad!

Note: Most credit go to 'Can't get enough FUTURAMA' for collecting all this good info.

 

[iKwick7]

I never at all cared for Futurama myself, but I do know that it has a cult-like following. Always good to hear a series coming back in some form.

 

[shecky]

excellent. futurama spanks the simpsons.

 

[joecool85]

I love Futurama! I had heard about the movies, but hadn't heard they were splitting the movies up into episodes to air on TV. Good stuff to know, thanks for the info!

 

[srobert]

…I had heard about the movies, but hadn't heard they were splitting the movies up into episodes to air on TV. Good stuff to know, thanks for the info!

Indeed. I'm also betting that if the movies/episodes do well, we can expect more Futurama after that. <fingers crossed>

 

[joecool85]

Indeed. I'm also betting that if the movies/episodes do well, we can expect more Futurama after that. <fingers crossed>

I hope so, it's one of my all time favorite shows to watch. Alongside Family Guy and Sponge Bob.

 

[steamboat26]

All glory to the hypnotoad!

And my second favorite line:
"Ah, she's built like a steakhouse, but she handles like a bistro"

 

[srobert]

All glory to the hypnotoad!

Then I bet you can't wait to watch the full-length (22 minute) episode of "Everybody Loves Hypnotoad". ^_^ I hope they won't ditch it before the DVD finally ships.

 

[zap2]

Good, its a very funny show...didn't go down hill like the Simpsons(which is still good, but not as good as it once was)

 

[SkyBell]

I've always loved Futurama, but I stopped watching recently, just because I've seen all the episodes too many times ("That'll teach those horses to do drugs!") Good to know it's coming back.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

Glorious!!! It brings a tear to my eye.... Now you can all bite my shiny metal ass!

 

[steamboat26]

Then I bet you can't wait to watch the full-length (22 minute) episode of "Everybody Loves Hypnotoad". ^_^ I hope they won't ditch it before the DVD finally ships.

Nah, I heard its been going downhill since season 3

Now if only Adult Swim would stop playing the same 10 futurama episodes, then we'd be in business

 

[Abstract]

Nah, I heard its been going downhill since season 3

You mean ever since Season 1, Episode 1.



*runs and hides*

 

[steamboat26]

You mean ever since Season 1, Episode 1.

BTW, on the episode where they show everybody loves hypnotoad, fry says something to the effect that the show has been going downhill ever since season X

 

[Fearless Leader]

I **** myself when I read this.

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

I **** myself when I read this.

Now that would be a site to see. TPIWWOP

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Gumbercules... I love that guys

 

[srobert]

All glory to the MacRumors avatar sized hypnotoad:

I **** myself when I read this.

There goes a perfectly good pair of LIGHTSPEED™ briefs. Good thing they come in packs of 3.

Gumbercules... I love that guys

Looks like somebody came up with a T-Shirt.

 

[Sdashiki]

I dont get it.

They are releasing four 88 minutes movies, in widescreen.

Then, they are gonna cut them up, ADD stuff, and put it on TV?

Why? Save money? Try something new? What can cutting apart 88 minutes into 22 minutes 4 times do to a story arc? I smell something like a bad anime english translation where they move things around but it makes less sense.

Who knows.

Kind of odd to watch the same stuff over again, but in a different way? I dont get it.

Bring it on though, Ill buy the DVDs and then the TV dvds. Commentary should be different at least.

 

[srobert]

Can't get enough Futurama got some new info about guest stars for 3rd and 4th DVD:

We're happy to be the first to relay information on four more guest stars who will lend their voices to the 3rd and 4th Futurama movie.

In the third movie, "Bender's Game", George 'Sulu' Takei and celebrity impersonator Rich Little will be making an appearance.

The fourth movie, "Into the Wild Green Yonder", will see (or hear) comedian Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller join the ranks of Futurama guest stars alongside radio host Phil Hendrie, who did the voice work for the Waterfall family in previous Futurama episodes.

 

[Veldek]

DVD Extras (list might change):

• A live math lecture on mathematical references in Futurama by Dr. Sarah Greenwald.

I'm really looking forward to this, especially this DVD extra. I wonder though, when this will be available in Europe/Germany...

 

[srobert]

Here is a transcript of the teaser in case it disappear from the tubes:

Narrator: …tragedy in television history.
Phillip J Fry: We were cancelled?
Professor Hubert Fansworth: Yes, I'm afraid so… <unclear because of crowd's laughters> … cancelled our license.
<view of inside BOX Network's executive boardroom. 3 suits acting insane>
<Planet Express' phone rings. Farnsworth answers>
Fansworth: Yes? … I see.
<Fansworth hangs up the phone>
Fansworth: Good news everyone! Those asinine morons who cancelled us were themselves fired for incompetence.
<Planet Express' crew cheer>
Fansworth: Not just fired but beaten up too!… <unclear because of crowd's cheers>
<Planet Express' crew cheer>
Fansworth: In fact, most of them died from their injuries.
<Planet Express' crew silent and uneasy except for Bender who's laughing>
Fansworth: Then, they were ground up into a fine pink powder.
<Planet Express' crew cheer>
Bender: I'm back baby!

If anyone with a better hear can fill the blanks, please do so.

I'm really looking forward to this, especially this DVD extra.

Agreed. The DVD commentaries on the 4 boxed sets where almotst as hilarious as the show itself. They explained a lot of obscure references, many of them I missed. There's a lot of mathematical jokes hidden here and there.

 

[user13]

Really great news! Thanks! I like Futurama

 

[MRU]

I adore Futurama, and often think of myself as a 'bender' Though they don't insert girders

Can't wait to see the movies and thanks for the head's up. I've pre-ordered

 

[0098386]

Oh good stuff! I'm a little bit glad the big annual series are over for Futurama. It's so brilliant as it is, sorta like Phoenix Nights. If they produced more now it'd just be rubbish because that's how the space time continuum works.

But films? Ah. They can hone all that quality viewing. Roll on November!