‘Futurama’ Ends Again as Matt Groening Promises We Will Rise Again

Few animated series have experienced as many comebacks as ‘Futurama’. Originally debuting on Fox in 1999, it concluded its initial run in 2003, only to return on Comedy Central in 2008 before wrapping up once more in 2013. In 2023, Hulu revived the show again, and the crew of the Planet Express ship has been navigating through New New York since then.

This cycle of cancellations and returns has become a hallmark of the show’s identity, and its latest chapter came to a close on Monday. Season 14 concluded with an episode aptly titled “Final Ending: The Last Conclusion,” and creator Matt Groening confirmed to Variety that there are currently no plans for the series to return as a regular show.

The finale embraces the show’s penchant for teasing its own demise. The episode features a flashback narrative with the logline: “Fry and his brother sneak into a PG-13 movie as kids … with shocking consequences for the future.” Executive producer David X. Cohen noted that this marks the sixth time the show has been crafted as a potential series finale.

Despite the confirmed ending, three extended “XXXL-Sized” specials are still in production for Hulu, with the first, a Christmas-themed episode, expected to premiere in 2027. Groening described this format change as an opportunity to explore larger stories. “The people at Hulu/Disney were saying, ‘Hey, give us some big stories that we can promote,’ and we said, ‘Gotcha,’” he shared with Variety.

Groening also teased what fans can expect from the Christmas special. “Our version of Christmas, of course, is with Robot Santa,” he said, referencing the violent interpretation of St. Nick who has appeared since Season 2. He recalled that the character was once controversial for his belief that everyone was naughty and his attempts to eliminate them, humorously adding that “now everybody has figured out, hey, it’s all in good fun!”

This self-referential humor about its own mortality is evident throughout the season. Groening captured the sentiment by stating, “I think we have a whistling-past-the-graveyard attitude these days because we’ve been in this situation many times before.”

Given the show’s history of concluding only to return, Groening is hesitant to consider this ending as definitive. “They can put us in a coffin. They can nail the lid shut, but they can’t bury us. We will rise again,” he told Variety, adding, “I guess I’m not too worried.”

He also discussed the possibility of the specials marking the end. “If it doesn’t happen, we’ll do something else,” Groening said. “I love the group of people that work on this. It’s just a blast to work together.” He pointed to ‘Disenchantment’, his Netflix series that shares much of the same cast, animation studio, and writers over its five seasons.

Season 14’s penultimate episode, “A New New York Yankee in King Elfo’s Court,” featured a crossover between characters from ‘Futurama’ and ‘Disenchantment’, which was no easy feat to coordinate. “That was a very nimble negotiation to have Disney and Netflix working together,” Groening noted.

This moment illustrates the level of cooperation required for modern animated crossovers, especially when the shows are on different streaming platforms.

The voice actors have adapted to the cycle of endings and revivals. Speaking to UPI, Billy West, who voices Fry, the Professor, and Zoidberg, mentioned that the writers always prepare for the possibility of the show returning. “They always come up with a great finale and they have to write it with this anticipation that maybe the show won’t come back,” he explained.

John DiMaggio, who voices Bender, expressed his enjoyment of the season ending on a cliffhanger. “I like that style,” he remarked. “What’s gonna happen? Oh no.”

For now, ‘Futurama’ occupies a familiar limbo: officially concluded as a weekly series, yet far from finished. With three supersized specials already in the works and a creator who refuses to dismiss the possibility of a full revival, the Planet Express crew may not be grounded for long.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.