ROTTEN TOMATOES: Could "Futurama" Be Reborn Via DVD?

Could "Futurama" Be Reborn Via DVD?

by Scott Weinberg | May 25, 2005

When it was just one little bit of juicy gossip at a "Futurama" website, I was intrigued but skeptical. But when the brilliantly funny voice-actor Billy West confirmed the news, well, I felt it was something worth sharing: Fox Home Video seems to be more than a little interested in producing one or more "Futurama" movies, which will be released directly to video.

But before you start muttering about the generally low quality of DTV fare, keep in mind that series creator David X. Cohen is still at the helm of the Planet Express ship. There's nothing more concrete than the two articles posted at GotFuturama.com, but given how impressive the sales figures have been for the "Futurama" DVD sets, this would seem to be a no-lose proposition for the Fox Video decision-makers.

Related Items

Movie:	Futurama - Volume 3
	Futurama - Volume 4
	Futurama - Volume 1
Celeb:	Billy West
	David Cohen

(1-20 of 25 posts) | Reply

icekweem writes:
on May 25 2005 02:24 AM

Fucking awesome.

(Reply to this)

lonechicken writes:
on May 25 2005 06:10 AM

[b]Awesome[/b]
Why not just replace American Dad with Futurama back on Fox, if DVD sales are so impressive?

(Reply to this)

skletonkee writes:
on May 25 2005 08:10 AM

In reply to this comment (#822460)
[b]amen to that[/b]
:headbang:

(Reply to this)

r_curl04 writes:
on May 25 2005 11:00 AM

[b]Meh.[/b]
I hate futurama... only a few episodes are good...

(Reply to this)

Banana Kid writes:
on May 25 2005 11:42 AM

In reply to this comment (#822459)
I concur.

(Reply to this)

taran72 writes:
on May 25 2005 12:12 PM

In reply to this comment (#822460)
Amen.

(Reply to this)

LampEft writes:
on May 25 2005 01:14 PM

[b]Go one step better..[/b]
If Fox can bring back that steaming pile-o-crap called The Family Guy based on DVD sales, then they should find it within their means to bring back a quality animated show such as Futurama. On the other hand, this news of a movie or two is good news, too. I'll look forward to them.

(Reply to this)

jumpshed writes:
on May 25 2005 05:30 PM

[b]American bad?[/b]
Ok - explain this one 2 me, why has everyone torn into American Dad?? I get that it's really fun (and occasionally very witty {I saw somewhere one guy called it American Bad!!! Priceless}) to completely write off a show after 3 episodes! Im even more perplexed by the fact that the people attacking it are family guy fanboys! I enjoy famlly guy (but im not CRAZY about it) and from what I can see it's the same basic show (it's a wild guess but that could be because it's the same writer - i just don't know). It seemed funny enough...

Anyway - more futurama in any shape or form is a good thing

(Reply to this)

ccchhhrrriiisss writes:
on May 25 2005 06:08 PM

[b]"American Dad" does not compare with "Futurama!"[/b]
Futurama was one of the most creative cartoons on television. In fact, the last season was probably the MOST CREATIVE season for a cartoon ever! The first episode of season four (the Roswell episode) was hilarious -- Fry went back in time and became his own grandfather!

And the episode where Bender floated through space for months was incredible!

I hope that they drop that idiotic "American Dad" and replace it with new episodes of "Futurama!"

(Reply to this)

skletonkee writes:
on May 25 2005 06:21 PM

In reply to this comment (#822466)
[b]its family guy redux[/b]
with characters not nearlly as memorable and voicovers and cartoon style that are identical to family guy..

whats the point of it?

(Reply to this)

jumpshed writes:
on May 26 2005 02:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#822468)
So you're saying you watch family guy for the deep character development and because it's so original? Brian, Stuie and Peter are the only real memorable characters in Family Guy and it's a bit difficult to say if American Dad has memorable characters because there's only been 4 episodes! Surely it's the bizzare, risque humour that people watch family guy for? American Dad does the same thing - who cares about the aesthetics?

(Reply to this)

gbwillner writes:
on May 26 2005 08:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#822469)
[b]American ZZZZZz.....[/b]
"American Dad" is basically the an altered version of "Family guy"- that's true. But it's a watered-down, unfunny version. I think that the "family guy" creators wanted to rip on the "all American" (i.e., Conservative WASPS), instead of "the Irish Catholic guy".... they could get all that out of the way by making him a two bit character on "Family Guy" instead of generating en entire series on such a flat, boring character.

(Reply to this)

jumpshed writes:
on May 26 2005 10:04 AM

In reply to this comment (#822470)
Ah-ha! Thanks you! I think you've just answered my question as why a lot of people don't like American Dad - it makes fun of the beliefs of the (and a recent election seems to agree with this) average American. I don't want to come off as being offensive, but American's aren't great at laughing at themselves. Not in the same way the Irish can for instance...

And how can you say they've "generated an entire series on such a flat boring character" when we've only had 4 episodes? Unless of course you helped make it and your now a bit embaressed about it...

Just as an aside, I think so far Family Guy's 1st 2 episodes of the 4th series were much better than the 1st 2 episodes of American Dad. But, last week the Peter going blind episode of Family Guy was well and truly beaten by American Dad - how could u not laugh at that bit with the Raccoon chase???

(Reply to this)

gbwillner writes:
on May 26 2005 11:22 AM

In reply to this comment (#822471)
[b]You are welcome[/b]
You have only seen 4 episodes. THey have made an entire season of episodes, waiting to be shown.

There is some potential to "American Dad," and just because I haven't liked it so far does not mean that it will not eventually become funny. I said the same thing of "Malcom in the Middle"- where I thought the original episode was horrid, but the characters grew and became quite interesting, as well as funny. I don't think "Dad" will grow because he is supposed to be a flat conservative WASP, but it could still be funny... with better writing.

(Reply to this)

ccchhhrrriiisss writes:
on May 26 2005 02:03 PM

[b]Did I miss something?[/b]
When did Family Guy become funny?

As far as I am concerned -- it should have STAYED canceled!

(Reply to this)

DrunkenSuperman writes:
on May 26 2005 10:23 PM

[b]Please[/b]
There's nothing I like more than laughing at conservative, all-americans. Thats not the problem with American Dad. The simple problem is that it's NOT FUNNY. I'm usually hanging out with friends Sunday nights, and we all laugh at The Simpsons...then Family Guy comes on, and we all laugh at that....then American Dad, and....dead silence. Not even a chuckle. Lame sitcom-type jokes with some 'edginess' thrown in randomly.

Oh yeah, Futurama is cool.

(Reply to this)

scottybarkbark writes:
on May 28 2005 08:45 AM

yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bring back futurama

(Reply to this)

stoober writes:
on May 28 2005 04:02 PM

In reply to this comment (#822466)
no, you see, thats just the problem with it. It IS family guy, just not done as well. All of the charecters are essentially cheap rip offs of their family guy counterparts. That, and its just not funny for some reason.

(Reply to this)

jumpshed writes:
on May 29 2005 04:17 AM

In reply to this comment (#822476)
Ok - there is obviously little else I can say to change anyone's opinion! But to be honest I think most of you had made up your mind about American Dad either before the 1st show, after 20 seconds of the 1st show or after reading a Family Guy, fanboy's review of the 1st 20 seconds of the 1st show!

For myself, I tried to look at American Dad without constantly comparing it to family guy. I think it definately does have it's funny moments but it sounds to me like the "some reason" that "its just not funny" that u guys talk about, is probably mostly because you want to see Stuie instead of the fish thing or brian instead of an alien! It is your right to hold these opinions, even if they are slightly sheep-like (in that all of u who have critisized American Dad, have pretty much all said u hated every minute of it and there wasn't 1 line that made u laugh - {this is hard to believe, as a) come on that Raccoon bit was hilarious and b) why would you watch 4 episodes of something u hated, unless of course as I suspect you are just giving your opinion after watching the show for 20 seconds})

But when it comes down to it - I think I'm better off in the end because I get to laugh at funny stuff (apparantly, half of it just made for me it would seem) for 1 hour instead of half an hour!

(Reply to this)

The Merm writes:
on May 31 2005 11:31 AM

[b]Hey[/b]
The topic as far as i was informed did not mention American Dad at all. It is not a big deal. OMGZORZ Teh american dad is soo lame i wish futurerama were back keke ke family guy is bettor then teh simpsons. Give me a break.

(Reply to this)

Related Links

Futurama - Volume 2

Related Articles

Most Discussed

Latest News

Latest Interviews

Latest Features

Sponsored Links