Futurama: John DiMaggio Breaks Silence on Not Returning as Bender

Futurama star John DiMaggio is officially breaking his silence on NOT being a part of the upcoming Futurama revival series that's happening over at Hulu. Hulu's Futurama is bringing most of the original cast, including Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman. It was reported that DiMaggio and Hulu couldn't close a deal for the iconic voice actor to return as surly robot Bender – but it was also suggested that the situation was in flux. So where do things stand now? 

According to a tweet from John DiMaggio: "Thanks for the concern and the props, everyone. I really appreciate it. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted, but until then… CHEESE IT! #bendergate".

DiMaggio is currently signed-on to The Simpson's and Futurama creator Matt Groening's Netflix animated series Disenchantment, where he's voiced the character of King Zøg since 2018. Of course, DiMaggio is also one of the most prolific and in-demand voice actors in the business, and his personal filmography runs at such a crazy-fast clip it's hard to keep up. That's all to say: it's not surprising that negotiations between DiMaggio and Hulu could be "ongoing": he certainly has the reputation and leverage to get a bigger payday. Bender is, without a doubt, the most iconic character in the Futrama series; doing him with a knock-off voice would in some ways doom this revival with longtime fans before it ever had a chance. 

"I'm thrilled to have another chance to think about the future... or really anything other than the present," said Futurama co-creator David X. Cohen when the revival was announced. Co-creator Matt "The Simpsons" Groening added that"It's a true honor to announce the triumphant return of Futurama one more time before we get canceled abruptly again."

"When presented with the opportunity to bring fans and viewers new episodes of Futurama, we couldn't wait to dive in. This iconic series helped blaze the trail for the success of adult animation since its initial launch and we look forward to Matt & David continuing to pave the way and further establishing Hulu as the premiere destination for fans of the genre," Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment also said in a press release.