Overview
Futurama is coming out of stasis, and a pandemic, vaccines, bitcoin, streaming and cancel culture all await. How will the Planet Express crew deal with all of the above, plus a massive disruption in the flow of time, when the Matt Groening-created show about life in the 31st century returns in July? As seen in the comeback season's initial teaser and now its just-dropped full trailer, they'll cope the same way they always have in this beloved animated sitcom: by knowing that anything and everything can and will happen.
If a pizza delivery guy was to accidentally wander into a cryogenic chamber back in July 2013, get stuck frozen inside for ten years, then wake up in July 2023, plenty that he knows about the world will have changed — but Futurama would remain a constant. Back then, the series was still on-screen. Now, it's finally being defrosted after a decade off the air.
Good news, everyone! — it's back, baby, after US streaming platform Hulu first announced plans to go back to the future in 2022. Futurama was renewed for a 20-episode run, with the first ten new instalments arriving from Monday, July 24 Down Under via Disney+.
Say hello again to the 20th-century's Philip J Fry (voiced by Billy West), distant uncle to Planet Express cargo company Professor Hubert J Farnsworth (also voiced by West), plus the rest of the outfit's crew. Yes, that means more antics with one-eyed ship captain Turanga Leela (Katey Sagal); fellow employees Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr), Amy Wong (Lauren Tom) and Zoidberg (also West); and everyone from self-obsessed starship captain Zapp Brannigan (West again) and his amphibious 4th Lieutenant Kif Kroker (Maurice LaMarche) through to scheming corporation owner Mom (Tress MacNeille).
And, yes, it Bender Bending Rodríguez will be causing chaos, with John DiMaggio also back with the cast. When the revival was first announced, that wasn't the case — but it wouldn't be Futurama without its constantly sauced robot exclaiming "bite my shiny metal ass!".
You can put a beloved show into suspended animation, but someone is going to thaw it out one day — and more than once. Initially airing from 1999–2003, the futuristic series then returned from 2008–2013, before now being given another run.
Hulu is calling this comeback season 11, even though Futurama spans a past seven seasons and four direct-to-DVD movies so far.
As for what this return is about, other than satirising life in the year 3000 and beyond — and parts of life today — the streaming service is promising more about Fry and Leela's love story, what's in Nibbler's litter box, evil Robot Santa's secret history, and Kif and Amy's tadpoles.
Check out the full new Futurama trailer below:
Futurama season 11 will stream via Disney+ Down Under from Monday, July 24.