168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Futurama is coming back. Earlier this month Hulu announced it had ordered 20 new episodes of the beloved animated sitcom that will be coming exclusively to its streaming service. This is big news, even to someone like me who wasn’t entirelꩲy enamoured with the show as a kid. I watched it with my siblings and was desperate for my parents to buy me the mediocre PS2 game, but it was far from an obsession. To me, it just remains a good show.
But I&rꦗsquo;d be a fool not to recognise Futurama as iconic. Bender, Fry, Leela, Zoi💜dberg, and countless others are characters who are quoted constantly to this day. The writing was so sharp and the world building so cohesive that you couldn’t help but lose yourself in each new story Matt Groening’s creation had to tell.
Yet none of this would be possible without the voice talent behind such personalities. Recasting any of them would irreparably change the tone of the show, wh😼ether Billy West was ousted as Fry or Katey Sagal no longer inhabited the one-eyed shoes of Leela. It wouldn’t be the same, which makes John DiMaggio’s ongoing battle with Hulu regarding fair payment for his return of Bender so important.
Bender is arguably the show’s signature character. He’s a fou💫l-mouthed robot known for beer, blackja🔯ck, hookers, and having anyone and everyone bite his shiny metal ass. His voice is so distinct that replacing DiMaggio in the role feels like an impossibility, yet it has been made clear that even he is expendable if it becomes an obstacle to getting this reboot’s production off the ground. It’s worth noting DiMaggio also voices Elzar, Joey Mousepad, Barbados Slim, Randy, and several other supporting characters who make up the wider world of Futurama.
The major sticking point is simple, DiMaggio believes that he and the rest of the cast aren’t being fair🦋ly paid for their return, believing that the roles they are expected to play are worth more and they should be recognised as such. Talks are apparently still ongoing, but the actor has made it perfectly clear he won’t take the gig if this payment dispute isn’t sorted out. Fans aren’t happy, and the majority of them are showing support for DiMaggio and believe Hulu should cough up the dough or risk this comeback being met with a sour reception.
I can’t imagine them recasting Bender, so much so that something has to give in the coming weeks or the whole project could be in jeopardy. The most recent statement released by DiMaggio is an honest indictment of how the industry is happy to take advantage of the actors who make such shows, films, and games possible with low rates that don’t reflect the impact their performances will inevitably have on the audience. Bender is a huge character, easily comparable to Homer Simpson or Rick Sanchez in terms of overall cultural impact. To replace that voice because you aren’t willing to leave your greed at the door for a show that will ultimately capitalise on nostalgia anyway feels woefully short-sighted. DiMaggio knows this, and I’m in full support of him taking a stand and trying to hopefully make a difference.
Animation is going through a huge state of flux right now on all sides. Writers, animators, and other production staff are 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:fighting for a new deal across the medium that will see them receive better pay and representation similar to their live-action counterparts. Animation continues to dominate the most popular shows and films across streaming services but it’s like those who make it possible are given second fiddle because the medium is somehow viewed as lesser, like it’s someho💜w childish or unworthy of respect. Animation writers also tend to be paid for work deliv🧸ered, while live-action writers also get royalties from reruns and syndication. This hierarchy is nonsense, and I’m so happy that more and more high-profile voices are speaking out and seeking to make animation a stronger place where creatives and talent can feel secure in their livelihoods.
DiMaggio’s fight is one small part of a much larger battle across the industry, and hopefully a presence as significant as his will force boardrooms filled with stuffy courtroom executives to consider enacting change, or come to realise that collective action will inevitably lead to the tide shifting far away from their favour. At least I hope that’s the case, and so do millions of others judging by how many people are now standing behind Bender’s auth൲entic casting. Futurama wouldn’t be the same without him, and making that clear is both a win for artistic integrity and economic security for those who help make the things we love possible.
