Futurama Revival: John DiMaggio Wants Its Cast to Be Paid More Money

Futurama surprised fans earlier this month when word went live that a revival was in the works. If you did not know, Hulu confirmed it was working on the big comeback with most of the original cast in its pocket. The only star not signed on was John DiMaggio who voices Bender, and the actor is now opening up about the reason he’s holding out on the revival.

The actor went to Twitter to give fans an in-depth explanation of his decision. It was there fans learned DiMaggio feels the entire voice cast should be getting paid more than they are, and his reason for rejecting this gig comes down to respect.

“I’ve been thinking about everything that’s been going on these past months and just to be clear, I don’t think that only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does,” DiMaggio shared with Futurama fans.

“Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business. Everyone has a different strategy and different boundaries… Some accept offers, some hold their ground,” he continued. “Bender is part of my soul and nothing about this is meant to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama‘ family. It’s about self-respect. And honestly, [it’s about] being tired of an industry that’s become far too corporate and takes advantage of artists’ time and talent… I wish I could give you every detail so you would understand, but it’s not my place. Thanks again for the love everyone. Still hoping for the best.”

As you can see, DiMaggio has tons of love for Futurama and its entire cast as suspected. The only thing keeping him from playing Bender is his self-worth and a low-ball contract. When the show’s revival was announced, Futurama’s producers said they were hopeful DiMaggio would reprise his role, but Bender will be recast if need be. At this point, it seems like DiMaggio is still standing firm to his principles as Bender-Gate continues, leaving fans uncertain how Futurama and its revival will go down. 

What do you think of this latest update from DiMaggio? Do you believe the revival’s team will manage to work out a deal? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.