Forces of Geek has reported that while Fox may be resurrecting Futurama in 2010, the fate of the voice talent behind the show may still be in question:
According to no less than cast members John DiMaggio, Phil LaMarr, and Maurice LaMarche on their Facebook pages, a casting notice has gone out to replace actors DiMaggio, LaMarche, Billy West and Katy Sagal.
Now, while I wouldn’t go so far as to call this “callous,” like Forces of Geek does, this could have some major reprecussions on the show, considering Fry, Leela, and Bender are all potentially on the chopping block. What say you, Rama readers?
July 17th, 2009 at 11:53 am
that would be awful
July 17th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
My girlfriend is an actress, and this morning she found a voice-over audition listing for Futurama on the “Actor’s Access” site! The listing confirmed that they were looking to cast all the characters! She asked the same question , “Is Fox recasting Futurama?!”
July 17th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Hopefully this is just part of contract negotiations. They did the same thing to the Simpsons voice actors a number of years ago. The actors wanted a significant raise, so Fox set up a casting call to replace the actors. It was all just posturing to scare the actors into reducing their asking price. It’s stupid and insulting, but that’s Fox for you.
July 17th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I’m not saying that this isn’t true, but all 4 of the actors supposedly being recast are scheduled to appear at a Futurama panel at San Diego next week. I sort of think this is either a hoax or a misunderstanding.
July 17th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Sacrilege.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Well, they did it to Pokemon, and as big a snit as it put the fans in, it didn’t make all that big a dent in the franchise’s success.
It’s the kind of dumb thing I’d expect a network to try, but not something I actually expect them to do.
I predict absolutely NOTHING will be said about it at SDCC, and it will be waved off if anyone asks. Which will only confirm it to most people.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no! This had better not happen.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I think a Futurama casting change is more comparable to casting changes on other sitcoms rather than other cartoons, especially when trying to compare it to such an established BRAND as Pokemon.
Futurama without Billy West? Ugh. I’m inclined to agree with Alex Hart that this will likely turn out to just be a negotiating ploy, albeit more effective here than with The Simpsons.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
The whole Pokemon voice recasting happened in part because the production studio handling the translation changed. Also one voice actress also died.
The Futurama thing is probably a money-saving measure. Though it’s weird because Katy Segal works on “Sons of Anarchy”, a show on FX, another Fox company.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I can’t imagine that Matt Groening or David X. Cohen would be happy about this. If the voice actor’s are replaced then the show is done.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
There’s stupid, and then there’s Fox.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I haven’t watched a full episode from Fox in months. Even Family Guy is no longer a show thats particuarly good. God only knows how the Cleveland show will turn up.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Maybe some of the actors have moved on to other things?
July 17th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
“The whole Pokemon voice recasting happened in part because the production studio handling the translation changed. ”
And they chose to go with new, cheaper voice talent than the original cast who were all happy to go work for them.
“Also one voice actress also died.”
I assume you’re referring to Maddie Blaustein - I believe she passed some time after the switch
July 17th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Didn’t the characters get sucked into a black hole or some sort in the last movie?
July 17th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Bad form, Fox.
It sounds like a scheme to negotiate contracts with Billy and Katey if you ask me.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Those are the characters and voices which make the show so good. Why bring the show back without them. Very disapointing.