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Netflix’s Haunted Hotel is not a part of Mike Flanagan’s horror-filled universe. Ever since the show has been announced, several theories have made their way on the internet. But Flanagan has no credits in the show, and his name has been brought up likely because of the haunted house title. Also, this show is not connected to any of his other projects, namely, The Haunting of Hill House, Bly Manor, The Midnight Club, and Usher.

This is an adult animated comedy from Rick and Morty writer Matt Roller, with Community creator Dan Harmon as executive producer. Releasing on September 19, 2025, the 10-episode series follows Katherine (Eliza Coupe), a single mother who inherits the spooky Undervale Hotel after her brother Nathan (Will Forte) dies – and returns as a ghost.

With her children and a demon trapped in the body of an 18th-century child, she faces the challenge of running a business filled with supernatural trouble.

On the surface, King of the Hill and The Simpsons aren’t all that different. They were both staples on Fox throughout the 1990s. They both feature beer-loving, blue-collar dads doing their gottdang best to do right by their kids. And they’re both the brainchild of animation legends — Mike Judge (King of the Hill) and Matt Groening (The Simpsons).

But despite all these similarities, there’s one major factor (beyond basic competence) that separates the respective worlds of Hank Hill and Homer Simpson, according to Mike Judge. When the King of the Hill revival hit Hulu this week, co-creator Judge opened up about revisiting Arlen, Texas after 15 years, and told Deadline how the show’s signature realism not only set it apart from its long-running peer, but inspired the series’ roughly eight-year time-jump.

“Our show is less surreal than other animated shows, like say, The Simpsons,” he explained, seemingly...

"The Simpsons" is the longest-running primetime scripted series of all time, surpassing shows like "Gunsmoke" and other classics that dominated the airwaves for decades. What's most impressive, however, is that Matt Groening's animated sitcom about the titular family and the residents of Springhill achieved this milestone in 2018, so it's safe to say that all current and future series have some catching up to do. While the "Simpsons" writers know they can't compete with their own show's classic era, they also have no desire to say goodbye to Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie anytime soon, either -- well, not unless tragedy befalls the cast and crew.

As documented by ComicBook.com, Groening was present at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, where he discussed the future of the show and when it could end. The series' creator spoke candidly on the matter, revealing the dark inevitability that will eventually mark the...

Nearly four months after The Simpsons was renewed for four additional seasons and three months since the animated show last aired, Fox has announced when fans can expect the legendary family back on small screens. The most recent season of The Simpsons, Season 36, was broadcast from September 29, 2024, to May 18, 2025; however, before the finale, the sitcom was renewed through Season 40, with each installment comprising 15 episodes.

As part of this fall's schedule for Fox’s Animation Domination, The Simpsons will return with Season 37 on Sunday, September 28 at 8:00 p.m., according to TV Insider. Additionally, featured in the new season is an all-star guest list led by Succession’s Kieran Culkin, as announced during the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel on Saturday, July 26. The network’s animated programming block will also see Universal Basic GuysSeason 2 air at 8:30 p.m. after The Simpsons. Krapopolis Season 3 and Bob’s Burgers Season 16 then follow at 9:00 p.

Matt Groening is certainly no stranger to the world of pop-culture conventions, as evidenced by the time the “creator of Futurama” attended Springfield’s Bi-Monthly Science Fiction Convention and encouraged fans to trespass on his private property and tug his beard for “good luck.”

This past weekend, Groening attended San Diego Comic-Con, appearing on panel with three other Doctor Dooms, who disappointingly turned out to be more Simpsons writers and producers who are in no way Robert Downey Jr.

In addition to discussing the potential deaths of beloved cast members, Groening didn’t shy away from bringing up politics, joking that when “you know who” dies there will be “dancing in the streets,” presumably referring to Lisa Simpson’s presidential predecessor.

Politics also creeped into a bit about bullshit Simpsons predictions. Per Variety, current showrunner Matt Selman called out the shocking gullibility behind the recent apparently A.I.-generated hoax,...

The Simpsons has now been on the air for more than three decades, with many wondering when, if ever, the longest-running animated series will end. Well, creator Matt Groening knows, and during an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, revealed the sad circumstances that will cause The Simpsons to perform their final couch gag.

A lot of older fans feel that The Simpsons is way past its prime, while others are simply curious about how long the titular family can keep having adventures. However you feel about the current state of the beloved series, the show surely can’t go on forever, and Groening has now revealed that it won’t...but only death can stop The Simpsons.

“I honestly thought [season] 36 would be where we’d end it.

But no, there’s no end in sight. We’re going to keep going until somebody dies.”

Sadly, several Simpsons cast members have...

The Simpsons, television’s longest-running scripted series and an 85% fresh mainstay on Rotten Tomatoes, is gearing up for its 37th installment with a star-studded guest list, headlined by Succession Emmy nominee Kieran Culkin.

Per Variety, this was announced during the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel on July 26. Culkin is reportedly joining a guest lineup that also includes Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Albert Brooks, Cole Escola (Oh Mary), Danny Pudi (Community), Adam Pally, and both Brendan andDomhnall Gleeson, appearing together on the show for the first time. The series is also set to air its 800th episode in February 2026, featuring two original episodes airing back-to-back. “It’s a big deal to do 800 shows,” said executive producer Matt Selman, promising something “top secret” but “the best 800th episode of anything you’ve ever seen.”

That’s not all though — there was one early preview shared during the panel as well.

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening jokingly made predictions about Elon Musk, the Statue of Liberty and Republican parents at San Diego Comic-Con. On Saturday, July 26, Groening joined The Simpsons producers Matt Selman and Mike Price, director Matt Faughnan and consulting producer/director David Silverman for a panel discussing Season 37 of the Fox animated series. During the chat, Selman responded to a deepfake meme about The Simpsons predicting the viral Coldplay kiss cam moment. (It didn’t.) “Who could be so dumb?” Selman pointed out per Variety. “Of all our 800 episodes we did, that those two dumb white folks — I don’t what to call, the takes are done — like, who could think, who has such little reactive intelligence that this is in The Simpsons? And of course, the answer is hundreds and hundreds of millions of people!” He then advised fans, “When you see something that claims to be a Simpsons prediction,...

The Simpsons Season 37 will kick off in fall 2025 — and some of its guest stars were recently unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con. On Saturday, July 26, creator Matt Groening, executive producers Mike Price and Matt Selman, director Matt Faughnan, and consulting producer/director David Silverman took the stage for the show’s panel. For Season 37, The Simpsons guest stars will include Kieran Culkin, Glenn Howerton, Albert Brooks and Cole Escola, per Variety. Also gracing Springfield with their presence will be Danny Pudi, Adam Pally, and Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson. The Comic-Con panel included a preview of this season’s “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween episode too. This time around, it will feature the voice talents of Michael Keaton, Viola Davis and Idris Elba, in addition to an opening from Stan Kelly as a guest animator. “I honestly thought 36 was where we were going to end it,” Groening quipped at the event. “No, there’s no end in sight.

The Simpsons isn’t giving up its title as the longest-running cartoon in American history any time soon.

At The Simpsons’ panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, creator Matt Groening opened up about the show’s nearly four-decade run, revealing that even ahead of the show’s 37th season, there’s still “no end in sight” for Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Maggie.

“I honestly thought 36 would be where we’d end it,” Groening joked when asked about The Simpsons’ humble beginnings on The Tracey Ullman Show, per Gold Derby. “We’re going to keep going until somebody dies.”

Speaking of death, Groening then segued into how the show plans on handling the future passing of President Donald Trump. “When you know who dies, The Simpsons predicts there will be dancing in the streets — until President Vance bans dancing in the streets,” Groening continued.

As for the show’s...

In a free-wheeling panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, creator Matt Groening and The Simpsons producing team spent half the time addressing current events and the other half teasing the upcoming 37th season of the Emmy-winning show, including the show's 800th episode.

Here’s a rapid-fire recap.

Matt Groening brought the jokes

Asked if he could ever have imagined The Simpsons lasting 37 seasons when he started do the original shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, Groening deadpanned, “I honestly thought 36 would be where we’d end it.” And then he launched into the first of many Maga jokes. “But no, there’s no end in sight. We’re going to keep going until somebody dies. When you know who dies, The Simpsons predicts there will be dancing in the streets. Until President Vance bans dancing in the streets.”

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet

That...

ScreenRant's own Brandon Zachary attended the 2025 San Diego Comic-Con panel for The Simpsons and revealed the series has something special planned for episode 800. The Simpsons is already the longest-running animated American TV series, but episode 800 will mark a major milestone for the show.

The Sdcc panel for The Simpsons included the show's creative team of Matt Groening, Matt Faughnan, Mike Price, and David Silverman. The creative team gave the audience confirmation that, with the current schedule for the series, The Simpsons will air episode 800 in February of 2026.

Episode 800 will also not air alone. On the night it airs in February, two episodes of The Simpsons will actually be broadcast instead. Just what is being planned for the episode, however, is "top secret" for now.

What The Episode 800 News Means For The Simpsons 800 Episodes Is A Huge TV Milestone Image via Fox

It's rare for a primetime television series to make it to 200 episodes,...

Kieran Culkin (“Succession”), Glenn Howerton (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), Albert Brooks and Cole Escola (“Oh Mary”) are among the guest stars stopping by Springfield during the upcoming Season 37 of “The Simpsons,” the show’s producers announced Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con.

Also on board: Danny Pudi (“Community”), Adam Pally, and Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson, together at last!

Also during the panel, “Simpsons” producers shared a sneak preview of one of this year’s “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween segments. Idris Elba, Michael Keaton and Viola Davis will be guest starring on that episode, which will feature an opening from guest animator Stan Kelly (from The Onion).

Among those on stage: creator Matt Groening, executive producers Matt Selman and Mike Price, director Matt Faughnan and consulting producer/director David Silverman.

“I honestly thought 36 was where we were going to end it,” Groening joked. “No, there’s no end in sight. We’re going to keep going.

“Futurama” is heading back from the future. Exec producer David X. Cohen revealed that next year’s season finale will explore more of the backstory of Fry and his brother as kids. “We are going to work work that gold mine a little bit more next year, 2026,” he told the audience at the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel on Saturday.

Creator Matt Groening was joined by Cohen, as well as executive producers Claudia Katz and Ken Keeler, supervising director Peter Avanzino, and Futurama stars Billy West, Lauren Tom (Amy), Phil Lamarr (Hermes), David Herman (Scruffy) and Maurice Lamarche (Kif). The stars kicked the panel off with a table read of the upcoming Season 13’s sixth episode.

Later, the producers were mostly mum on upcoming guest stars, but Cohen revealed that San Antonio Spurs player Victor Wembanyama appears in this upcoming season opener.

Hulu recently announced that it was switching...

“The Simpsons” really did alter TV history forever: Three of the top seven longest-running scripted primetime series of all time are currently animated shows, including that Matt Groening trailblazer. Several more are poised to join their ranks if they stay on the air for a few more seasons. It makes sense that these shows stick around, with even non-megahits like “Futurama” approaching an episode total rivaling a smash like “Seinfeld”; after all, cartoon characters can remain recognizably themselves forever, while it can take decades or more before any audible signs of aging creep into vocal performances.

So it’s particularly and perhaps uncharacteristically bold that “King of the Hill,” Mike Judge’s animated sitcom that aired for 13 seasons on Fox, returns not exactly as fans left it back in 2009. (A few additional unaired episodes premiered in 2010.)

It’s especially notable, even faintly moving, that as the show is revived for a 10-episode 14th season,...

The beloved animated sci-fi sitcom, Futurama, is making its return with Season 13. All the anime lovers, here’s a heads-up for you. The highly anticipated season has just not revealed this, but there’s more to it. The episodes of this season will be released once and for all. In short, Hulu has changed the game with a full-season drop, rather than airing the episodes weekly.

With its successful run in 2023 and 2024, respectively, The Planet Express crew is set to drop bangers with more absurd adventures, chaotic brilliance, and the signature wit that fans have come to adore. In the meantime, fasten your seatbelts as we take you for the ride of more information on Season 13 of Futurama.

Unpacking Futurama Season 13: When Will It Release? A still from Futurama | Credits: The Curiosity Company

As per Variety, Futurama is going to air on September 15, 2025, on Hulu. Unveiling all the episodes on the release date itself,...

After a year of keeping fans eagerly awaiting another entertaining chapter, Hulu has finally provided an update concerning what’s next for the long-running Futurama. The over-two-decade-old sitcom was renewed by the streamer in November 2023 for two more broadcast seasons, which will air through 2026. One of those seasons is scheduled for later this year, as recently confirmed, with Hulu announcing the premiere date for Futurama Season 13, but with a well-deserved twist.

Created by Matt Groening for Fox originally, Futurama’s previous run lasted from July 29 to September 30, 2024. The comedy will now return this fall, on September 15 at 8/7c. TV Insider recently shared the exciting update, adding that Hulu will drop all ten episodes of Season 13 at once, meaning fans won't have to wait every week for new episodes. Futurama’s new season will also premiere on Fxx on the same day as its Hulu debut, with two episodes weekly.

The...

Take a look at the animated science fiction comedy series "Futurama" Season 13, created by Matt Groening, starring John Dimaggio, Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice Lamarche, Lauren Tom, Phil Lamar and David Herman, streaming 10 new episodes, September 15, 2025 on Hulu:

"...In Season 13 ‘Bender’ is rampaging out of control! A volcano is about to explode! ‘

“‘Fry’ confronts a rival for the love of ‘Leela’.

“And ‘Dr. Zoidberg’ is rising up to heaven?!

“The excitement might be too much! You’ve been warned… It’s an all-new season of Futurama!”

Click the images to enlarge...

Good news, everyone! Say goodbye to the agony of waiting week to week for new episodes of one fan-favorite animated sci-fi comedy. Hulu is dropping all of Futurama Season 13 at once, letting audiences binge their way through the future. Fry and the gang are set to return for another year as the smartest sci-fi show on television heads into its 13th outing. The Matt Groening-created animated sitcom originally ran on Fox from 1999 to 2003, where it was canceled for the first time. It was then revived through several direct-to-dvd specials from 2007 to 2009, before finding a new home on Comedy Central from 2010 to 2013, where it was canceled again. In July 2023, Hulu revived the series once more. So when will fans get this special delivery from Planet Express? And should we shake the package? Here is everything we know about Season 13 of Futurama. When will Futurama return? Season 13 will return to Hulu...

Futurama – “Season 13 First Look” – Bender is rampaging out of control! A volcano is about to explode! Fry confronts a rival for Leela’s love! And Dr. Zoidberg is rising up to heaven?! The excitement might be too much! You’ve been warned… it’s an all new season of Futurama! (Disney/Matt Groening)

Futurama Futurama – “Season 13 First Look” – Bender is rampaging out of control! A volcano is about to explode! Fry confronts a rival for Leela’s love! And Dr. Zoidberg is rising up to heaven?! The excitement might be too much! You’ve been warned… it’s an all new season of Futurama! (Disney/Matt Groening)

Futurama Futurama – “Season 13 First Look” – Bender is rampaging out of control! A volcano is about to explode! Fry confronts a rival for Leela’s love! And Dr. Zoidberg is rising up to heaven?! The excitement might be too much! You’ve been warned…...

Hulu is bringing back the binge release this September. The streamer has announced that all 10 episodes of Futurama Season 13 will be released on the same day.

Per Deadline, Hulu will release the entirety of Futurama Season 13 on Sept. 15, a noticeable shift in how the streamer has previously been releasing new episodes of the animated revival. When the revival returned for its eleventh and twelfth seasons in 2023 and 2024, respectively, episodes were released weekly. New episodes of Futurama were all released weekly during the show's Fox and Cartoon Network eras. Another release change coming with Season 13 is that Futurama will also be available on Hulu on Disney+ and Fxx.

Hulu has also released the logline for Futurama Season 13, which reads as follows: "Bender is rampaging out of control! A volcano is about to explode! Fry confronts a rival for Leela’s love! And Dr. Zoidberg is rising up to heaven?! The excitement might be too much!

“Futurama” has aired in many places, in many forms. After airing its initial run on Fox, the adult animated series eventually transitioned to Comedy Central, then to straight-to-dvd films and, most recently, weekly Hulu releases.

Now, the animated comedy will switch to the release format of the future: the binge model.

On Monday, Hulu shared a first look at Season 13 of the Matt Groening-created series, along with a release date announcement. The streaming company also surprised audiences by adding that “Futurama” will have a binge release for Season 13, with all 10 episodes uploading on Hulu on Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et.

Alongside the binge release, FX will air two new episodes of “Futurama” per week starting Sept. 15 at 8/7c. This, too, is a departure from the Hulu-aired Seasons 11 and 12, where only one episode released per week.

“Futurama” follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy who inadvertently...

Hulu has announced that Futurama Season 13 will land on the streaming service on September 15, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Pt/8:00 p.m. Et with all 10 episodes at once. Hulu has also revealed the first seven images from the upcoming season.

Futurama Season 13 will also premiere on September 15 at 8/7c with two episodes weekly on Fxx. Seasons 11 and 12 previously premiered on Hulu with one episode at launch and one new episode weekly. The series was in the Top 10 Streaming Originals of 2024, per Nielsen.

In Season 13, Bender is rampaging out of control! A volcano is about to explode! Fry confronts a rival for Leela’s love! And Dr. Zoidberg is rising up to heaven?! The excitement might be too much! You’ve been warned… It’s an all-new season of Futurama!

The voice cast includes John Dimaggio, Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice Lamarche, Lauren Tom, Phil Lamar, and David Herman.

Hulu is switching to an all-at once binge for “Futurama” as it returns in September for Season 13. Variety has learned that all 10 episodes from the new season will premiere at the same time on September 15 at 5 p.m. Pt / 8 p.m. Et.

That’s a switch from most recent two seasons of the revival, as Hulu released Season 11 in 2023 and Season 12 in 2024 on a weekly basis. “Futurama” originally ran on broadcast, via Fox, for its first four seasons, from 1999 to 2003; it was then revived on several direct-to-dvd specials from 2007 to 2009, and then via Comedy Central between 2010 to 2013. The Hulu re-revival began in July 2023.

For viewers who prefer to see their TV series unfurl on a weekly basis, “Futurama” Season 13 will also premiere on linear cabler Fxx on Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. Et, with two episodes weekly.

Hulu noted that per Nielsen, “Futurama” was among the top 10 streaming originals of 2024. Hulu...

One of the most iconic moments in the history of The Simpsons was “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” The two-part, season-bridging cliffhanger became a cultural totem back in the summer of 1995, challenging viewers to solve the mystery of which Springfieldian tried to bump off the town’s oldest and evilest resident. One lucky amateur detective, we were told, would win “the prize of a lifetime”: an animated cameo in the show.

The shooter turned out to be Maggie (although some fans still aren’t convinced), but unfortunately, the contest was less about deduction, and more about using 1-800-collect, so the winner ended up being some rando who didn’t watch the show and opted to take a cash prize in lieu of achieving cartoon immortality.

While “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” is remembered for its uniquely engaging gimmick, it wasn’t all that dissimilar from an earlier mystery-based contest that also involved The Simpsons.

Liam Neeson’s upcoming comedy, The Naked Gun, is a reboot of the 1988 original starring Leslie Nielsen. The movie launched a franchise’s worth of sequels — The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear and The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult. But that movie comedy was also a reboot, a big-screen adaptation of the criminally short-lived TV series, Police Squad!.

Police Squad! was the unlikely follow-up to Airplane!, a film that landed at #10 on AFI’s list of the funniest American comedy movies of all time. Based on that success, why would David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker turn to television?

They didn’t want to. Like Airplane!, the funny guys envisioned Police Squad! as a spoof of a deadly earnest 1950s drama. But unlike Zero Hour, the overwrought disaster movie that lent its plot to Airplane, the episodic police adventures of the TV show M Squad...

It’s no secret that most members of the Simpson family were inspired by Matt Groening’s real-life relatives, which was less of a creative decision and more of a last-ditch effort to maintain the rights to his pre-existing characters.

But instead of basing Bart on his childhood self — Groening says he was more of a Milhouse — the cartoonist found inspiration in some surprising places, including the classic squeaky-clean sitcom Leave It to Beaver. Specifically, Wally Cleaver’s sociopathic suck-up best friend Eddie Haskell, who Groening reasoned “should have his own show.”

And as Simpsons writer Mike Reiss recently pointed out on social media, Bart also owes his existence to a famous work by legendary photographer Diane Arbus, “Child With a Toy Grenade in Central Park.” The photo, captured in 1962, depicts a young boy with a crazed expression on his face, who happens to be holding a replica explosive device,...

Think Family Guy is peak adult animation? Think again. Adult Swim’s late-night lineup has quietly delivered shows that are not only way funnier but also way smarter and somehow, most people missed them.

While Rick and Morty and Robot Chicken grab all the attention, there’s a treasure trove of weird, witty, and wickedly clever series hiding in plain sight. Some were ahead of their time, others overshadowed by big names, but all of them are criminally underrated. Family Guy might have a legacy, but these shows have bite.

Adult Swim’s long been a playground for experimental storytelling and with streaming making everything old feel new again, now’s the perfect moment to dive into these forgotten gems.

So whether you’re into surreal humor, dark satire, or just need something fresher than a rerun of Quahog chaos, this list’s got you covered.

1. ‘Bob’s Burgers’

If...

France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival has shifted the dates for its next edition back by two weeks to June 21-27, 2026.

The move follows an announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron that the Haute-Savoie region, in which Annecy is situated, will host a G7 meeting at the same time as the festival’s traditional dates in early June.

“This major international event will exceptionally mobilize local infrastructure starting in early June, with significant impacts on transportation, accommodation, and security conditions,” the festival’s organizing body Citia said in a statement.

“To ensure a welcoming and organized environment that meets the demands of our event, we have had to make the exceptional decision to postpone the dates,” it continued.

The event’s MIFA market will run from June 23 to 26.

With its picturesque setting and focus on both studio and independent animation across all formats, Annecy is regarded as the biggest animation festival in the world.

The Simpsons might’ve been running on psychic energy this whole time. This animated juggernaut has predicted some seriously spooky real-world events, and as 2026 inches closer, ten of those wild guesses still seem weirdly possible. From Donald Trump’s presidency to smartwatches and even space tourism, the show’s forecast game is eerily strong. And these aren’t vague horoscope-style guesses. Each one is backed by specific episodes – The Simpsons has receipts.

Created by Matt Groening, this satirical sitcom has been around since 1989 and now holds the crown for the longest-running scripted primetime series in U.S. history. With 790 episodes and a legacy that includes The Simpsons Movie and billions in merchandise, it’s a pop-culture monolith. Now renewed through 2029 with 60 more episodes coming, the Springfield family might still have the future on speed dial.

1. The Simpsons‘ warning about a global food crisis Stills from The Simpsons | Credits: Fox

Lisa...

We’ve learned quite a lot of Simpson family history over the past 36 years — from Homer’s mother Mona’s past Weather Underground-esque protests, to Marge’s father’s pioneering work as a male flight attendant.

Then, of course, there’s Homer’s half-brother Uncy Herb, who was last seen in the glitchy A.I.-generated “series finale” along with Uncy John Cena.

Although, in retrospect, we’ve heard frustratingly little about Bart’s Uncle Arthur, whose unspoken horrors have haunted the show ever since Marge briefly alluded to them back in Season Seven.

There were also all the random dum-dums suffering from the defective “Simpson gene,” which Lisa, to her great relief, discovers only impacts the men in the family.

But as a Simpsons fan recently shared on Reddit, we once got a much bigger look at the fictional clan’s genealogical history, in the form of full...

Every time the Og Simpsons fandom hears another “fun” little factoid about how long ago the Golden Age really was, they feel a little bit more like Abe wondering if what they’re “with” isn’t “it.”

Back in May, Simpsons fans celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One),” a landmark moment in television when seemingly the entire world had their own theories on what really happened to Springfield’s most ruthless megalomaniac. Vegas casinos took odds on the outcome, to be unveiled four months later in the Season Seven opening. Matt Groening gave his artists multiple endings to animate in order to prevent the possibility of a leak. John Walsh hosted a very special America’s Most Wanted parody called Springfield’s Most Wanted, interviewing actual police officers to help with the detective work.

For one glorious summer in 1995, the entire entertainment industry had Simpsons-mania.

The Simpsons remain the first family of animation, but we’ll be seeing a little less of them in the coming years. As the long-running animated staple eventually approaches its 40th season, The Simpsons will feature fewer episodes per season. Showrunner and executive producer Matt Selman has confirmed that moving forward, the residents of Springfield will appear in just 17 episodes per year, down from the usual 22, as part of the show’s latest four-season order. “We used to do 22 a year. For the next four [seasons], we’re doing 17 a year,” Selman told Variety. “Fifteen that will premiere in America on Fox, and then two exclusives on Disney+. It’s still a full-time job.” In addition to exclusive bonus episodes available only on Disney+, the streaming platform also features extended versions of previously edited episodes. “Work has a way of expanding to fill the time available,” said creator Matt Groening. “But...

Starting with Season 37 of The Simpsons, Fox viewers will only see 15 episodes of their favorite long-running animated series while The Mouse gets two streaming-exclusive episodes on Disney+. Next thing you know, they’re going to introduce a talking dog.

As the entire TV industry continues to tighten its belt in response to the unceremonious end of the streaming boom, even the tentpole franchises of television aren’t immune to austerity measures, as, over the next four seasons, The Simpsons will premiere five fewer episodes per year on streaming and on cable. While Season 36 featured 18 episodes on the show’s long-time home at Fox and four Disney+ exclusive specials, Season 37 will cut two entries from each platform. But The Simpsons’ creator and showrunner swear that, when it comes to quality, less can be more.

In a recent interview with Variety, Simpsons creator Matt Groening and showrunner Matt Selman revealed the move to 17 total episodes per season,...

A lot of classic Simpsons jokes are pretty straightforward and not difficult to comprehend. After all, a guy smacking himself in the face with a rake over and over again doesn’t leave much room for misinterpretation. But occasionally, some jokes will totally fly over the heads of audience members, not unlike every single Far Side cartoon does with Homer.

Recently, on social media the @CriminalSimpsons account asked followers to name which of the show’s jokes they “never understood.” Fans cited a number of scenes that have baffled them over the years, including Mr. Burns’ random reference to Rory Calhoun, aka the “person who’s always standing and walking.”

But the go-to example of an obtuse Simpsons joke is clearly the moment in “Crime and Punishment” from “Treehouse of Horror V” when Homer’s malfunctioning toaster sends him millions of years into the past. As he’s plummeting through a clock-filled temporal vortex,...

Fans of The Simpsons, and more specifically, of 2007's The Simpsons Movie, there's some bad news for you. Despite the first movie being critically acclaimed and becoming one of the highest-grossing films of that year, there are still no plans to make a sequel to The Simpsons Movie. "The first movie killed us," TheSimpsons creator Matt Groening says when addressing the possibility of repeating the feat that took the beloved Springfield family to the big screen.

Per a report by Screen Daily, Groening was present at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with The Simpsons Movie director David Silverman, and series writer and showrunner Matt Selman. The trio presented a preview of the animated series' upcoming 37th season. Additionally, they each offered their own opinion on the possibility of a sequel based on the popular series. It was Groening who revealed that the experience of making the first movie was...

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has given his views on how the sitcom's international fanbase has grown. The Simpsons debuted on Fox in 1989 and has gone on to become an American pop culture phenomenon. As one of the most recognizable works on television, The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom of all time. The best seasons of The Simpsons always managed to combine clever humor with pertinent social commentaries, and this made the show popular globally, as well as in the United States.

Indeed, in an interview with Variety, at the Annecy Animation Festival in France, Groening talked about how The Simpsons has continued to endure with international fans and how its global audience continues to grow, even with the show having run a staggering 36 seasons. He revealed how the fans are more intense than ever, and talked about the great response the show has received in the country. Check...

Ugo Bienvenu’s French feature Arco won the Cristal award for best feature film at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Produced by Felix de Givry for France’s Remembers and Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas for US firm MountainA, the film is co-written byt Bienvenu and de Givry.

Scroll down for the full list of feature winners

Arco depicts an eponymous rainbow who crash lands on near-future earth from the year 3000. A little girl who witnesses his fall helps him to return home.

It debuted as a Special Screenings title in Official Selection at Cannes last month.

The Jury...

These days, The Simpsons is considered a staple of modern pop culture, beloved by both children and adults. But there was once a time when the cartoon family were considered hugely controversial — keep in mind, this was long before they started hanging out with Minnie Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.

Not long after The Simpsons first began in 1989, the show was blasted by First Lady Barbara Bush and President George H.W. Bush, who famously proclaimed in a speech that Americans should be “a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons.” And if the Bushes hated the early seasons of the show, they must have really hated it when they became literal villains in Season Seven.

Then there was the widespread hysteria over Bart Simpson-branded T-shirts, which were banned in multiple schools and pulled from the shelves of JCPenney stores, despite the fact that they...

Good afternoon Insiders, welcome to another newsletter after a busy old week during which many of us have been on the road. Do scroll down. And sign up here.

Animated In Annecy

Power of the craft: There’s no better way to remind yourself of the power of animation than to head to Annecy in June. The beautiful French city was transformed for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which has over the years taken on a Comic-Con-esque skew towards fandoms. With Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Bojack Horseman’s Raphael Bob-Waksberg and the likes of Bob’s Burgers director Tyree Dillihay in town, that’s no wonder. The vibe was phenomenal, and the hot, sunny weather, which positively shimmered across Lake Annecy, didn’t exactly hinder things. In the spotlight were a ream of big-budget upcoming projects including The Cat in the Hat, Bad Guys 2, Goat and Fixed, along...

Nearly four decades after a spiky-haired boy first declared, “Don’t have a cow, man,” “The Simpsons” remains one of television’s best-loved and influential institutions. At this year’s Annecy Animation Festival, the series’ incredible run, which will extend beyond 40 seasons after a recent re-order, was celebrated with some of its key figures in attendance.

“The fans are as intense as ever. In fact, more intense,” series creator Matt Groening told Variety during a sit-down interview at the French festival. “When we were here last, we got a pretty great response. But this time, it’s completely nuts.”

“We were here in 2008 and 2010, and it’s even bigger now,” agreed executive producer David Silverman. “It was really big back then, so it’s pretty amazing. But it’s great. The fans are really great.”

Showrunner Matt Selman, clearly amused by the attention, added, “When you walk around with David Silverman,...

Most people not named “Stephen King” seemed to enjoy The Simpsons Movie, which finally brought America’s favorite cartoon family to the big screen — and also launched a war amongst America’s many Springfields.

Although it didn’t win nine Academy Awards and inspire a novelization by Norman Mailer, as the Itchy & Scratchy movie did, when it hit theaters in 2007, The Simpsons Movie was unquestionably a financial success. As Entertainment Weekly reported at the time, on its opening weekend, it “scored the best opening ever for a non-cg animated movie.” The film went on to make more than $536 million at the worldwide box office.

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So why did we never get a sequel?

This question was recently posed to creator Matt Groening at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where he received the Honorary Cristal Award for his contributions to the medium. Per Screen Daily, Groening revealed that the Simpsons...

Comments from the Annecy International Animation Film Festival saw The Simpsons co-creator Matt Groening explain why the long-awaited The Simpsons Movie 2 continues 18 years after the historic success of The Simpsons Movie. The Simpsons is the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, and with 790 episodes in its back catalog, it is fair to say the series isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Despite this, 2007’s The Simpsons Movie remains the show’s lone theatrical outing.

Speaking at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, co-creator Matt Groening explained to ScreenDaily why the sequel is taking so long. Asked about The Simpsons Movie 2, Groening said:

“The first movie killed us. We don’t have a ‘B team’; we did the movie and continued doing the series at the same time… We even had a countdown clock on the wall—we called it The Simpsons death clock—counting down the months, weeks,...

Animated series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 will debut next year on Netflix with additional characters not in the live-action run, according to Netflix Animation head of series John Derderian.

Netflix debuted a first look at Tales From ’85 as part of its slate presentation this afternoon at Annecy International Animation Film Festival. ”We’re pushing the boundaries of what animation can be withTales From ’85,” said Derderian. ”Today, we get an exclusive first look at this series launching globally next year on Netflix.”

Tales From ’85 is set in the town of Hawkins in the winter of 1985, where the characters must fight...

Disney and Universal have sued AI company Midjourney over copyright infringement, becoming the first US majors to do so in a developing situation that will be watched closely by Hollywood.

In a case filed on Wednesday morning at U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on behalf of all the two studios’ companies, the plaintiffs claimed Midjourney has not ceased its “calculated and willful” unauthorised infringements, despite requests to stop and adopt technological measures to prevent the practice.

The complaint said Midjourney infringed copyright through an image-generating service that was trained by copying the studios’ copyrighted works. Subscribers can create...

The UK government has committed £2bn to fund its AI action plan, chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed today (June 11).

The government’s spending review sets budgets for all government departments for the coming four years.

The AI action plan was first introduced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January, when the government announced plans to mainline “AI into the veins” of the UK and throw “the full weight of Whitehall behind this industry”.

The plan involves adopting all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford, entrepreneur and co-founder of talent investor Entrepreneur First in his AI Opportunities Action Plan. These measures includeimproving data capabilities and access,...

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening says the team behind the series are “always talking” about a second movie, but there are no plans beyond informal discussions.

“The first movie killed us,” said Groening, speaking to Screen at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where he received an honorary Cristal yesterday. “We don’t have a ‘B team’; we did the movie and continued doing the series at the same time.

“We even had a countdown clock on the wall - we called it The Simpsons death clock – counting down the months, weeks, days, seconds til we had to have the movie finished.

It’s no secret that five of the most beloved, profitable and cromulent cartoon characters in the history of pop-culture were thrown together at the last minute. Matt Groening famously scrapped his pitch for a series of Life in Hell animated shorts in order to retain the rights to those characters, and quickly cobbled together a new idea for a wacky family conveniently named after his own relatives.

In retrospect, since Groening had a mother named Marge, a father named Homer, a grandfather named Abe and two sisters named Lisa and Maggie, does that mean that Bart Simpson was based on ‘lil Matt? Well, not exactly.

As we’ve mentioned before, the Bart Simpson character was inspired by Groening’s disappointment with the Dennis the Menace sitcom, and his fascination with Eddie Haskell, Wally Cleaver’s sociopathic best friend on Leave It to Beaver. Plus, it turns out that another...

Gold Derby's top news stories for June 10, 2025.

Third Incredibles movie will have new director

Though he's writing the script, Brad Bird — the director of the two previous Incredibles movies—is not returning to helm the third. According to The Hollywood Reporter, those duties are being handed off to Peter Sohn, who most recently directed Elemental for Pixar.

Rachel Brosnahan to lead Season 2 of Presume Innocent

Apple TV+ has announced that the follow-up to the Scott Turow adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal will move onto new source material and a new lead. Rachel Brosnahan, seen next in Superman, has been cast in the second season, which will adapt author Jo Murray's upcoming book Dissection of a Murder.

Something seems fishy about that Institute

Mary-Louise Parker is up to no good in a new trailer for The Institute, MGM+'s upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's 2019 novel of the same name,...

For one night anyway, Matt Groening could ignore talk about his long-running show’s decline and simply celebrate The Simpsons. Who can blame the guy for taking a victory lap after accepting the Honorary Cristal Award this week at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival?

Speaking to his fellow animators, Groening celebrated a life that allowed him to “fill the universe with crazy characters who do what you tell them to do,” according to Deadline. “You can have them be brave, but isn’t it more fun to have Homer fall off a cliff? We torment our characters and have fun with them.”

After more than 36 seasons and 800 episodes, Groening revealed what he believes to be the secret to the show’s enduring popularity: a refusal to give in to laziness and a commitment to comedy. “As it goes on, we become known for different kinds of jokes,” he said.