I know, I know. Just last week I posted something about the four all-new Futurama movies that are being produced for the home video market, but there was an event at the San Diego Comic Con that went well-reported by Home Media Magazine, and I was just too nerded out to contain myself. Most importantly, we have a DVD release date for Bender's Big Score!. And that release date is November 27.I have no idea if the Cinematical guys made it over to the Con's Futurama exhibit (although I do hope so), but here's what went down: Futurama actors Katey Sagal (Leela), Billy West (Fry, Zoidberg, Farnsworth, etc.), John DiMaggio (Bender) and Maurice LaMarche (Kif, Morbo, Calculon, etc.) were on hand to "act out" some of the material from a "Futurama Returns" comic book that was available at the event. Sounds like a lot of fun, actually, and I hope HMM is right when they assume that this appearance will show up on a future DVD release. Apparently this comic book (which I WANT A COPY OF!) bridges the gap between the final Futurama episode (The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings) and the opening of Bender's Big Score!. (It's Groening's exclamation point, not mine.)
According to HMM, the plot for the first film will go like this: "Alien nudist Internet scammers attempt to take over Earth through a plot that involves sending the robot Bender through time to steal the planet's cultural treasures." Awesome. Excellent. Perfect. As reported earlier, each DVD movie will be broken up into four episodes which will then fit snugly into Comedy Central's (apparently very successful) Futurama syndication run. Expect the next three titles to hit video stores in the first quarter of 2008. Further expect me to laugh my proverbial ass of at each successive title. (The show just hits me right in the funny bone, and it'd take about 15 wordy paragraphs to properly explain why.)
And although the Futurama producers had to deal with slightly smaller budgets for these productions, they defrayed the expenses by skipping the orchestral score -- although viewers shouldn't really notice the difference. But since the animation is now being done in high definition (yay DVD!), fans should notice a slight improvement over the series' already stellar artwork. Yay! I can't wait!
For more on the Futurama Comic Con event, check out this brief-but-excellent breakdown at TV Squad. (And I promise there'll be no more Futurama posts for at least a week. Unless something really juicy gets announced.)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-30-2007 @ 7:01PM
Akbar Fazil said...
Comedy Centrals apparently very successful syndication run???
How can that be when CC doesn't air the old episodes (Cartoon Network does that) CC got the rights to the new episodes/movies.
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7-30-2007 @ 10:27PM
Benjy said...
While I'm glad that Futurama is coming back, I'm a bit put off that it's Comedy Central that is getting the first run episodes. After all, if it weren't for Adult Swim, both Family Guy and Futurama would still be just distant memories now instead of alive and well.
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7-30-2007 @ 10:28PM
Kyle said...
When Cartoon Network's syndication deal ends Comedy Central will syndicate the old episodes. So I guess Scott was just assuming that the episodes will syndicate well on Comedy Central since they do on Cartoon Network.
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7-31-2007 @ 9:47AM
Martha S said...
I only see the reruns once in a Blue Moon. I hope CC runs them a tad earlier although I think they will go for the insomniacs.
I do believe I have seen each one (when I do catch it late night I have seen the episode) as I was hooked when it first ran "at a decent hour". They ALWAYS make me laugh. This is one of the most clever animations since Bullwinkle and Friends. Yes, you heard me. BULLWINKLE!
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