BuzzSugar

Futurama's Voice Cast May Not Return For the New Episodes

BuzzSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:30:19 -0700

Many of you were saying "yay!" to the news that Futurama would be returning for 26 all-new episodes. But what if the original cast doesn't come along for the revival?

Turns out Paula Abdul isn't the only star having contract negotiation problems these days: Talks have broken down between the original voice cast of Futurama and the 20th Century Fox TV studio about how much the actors should be paid for their work. Writes Variety:

The stars had all expressed interest in returning. But with the budget for Futurama dramatically slashed, the salary offers came in well below what the thesps were asking - believed to be around $75,000 per episode.

So, the studio has hired casting directors to start auditioning new Benders, Frys, and Leelas. That could just be a negotiating tactic - it's been used before for The Simpsons - but it could also really mean that the original actors don't return.

When I think about voice recasting, I always think about Disney's revival of the Nickelodeon cartoon Doug - I loved the original Doug, but it totally weirded me out to hear a different voice coming out of Doug's mouth. (Coincidentally, the original voice of Doug - Billy West - also voices Fry on Futurama!) If the original cast doesn't come along, would you still be excited for the new episodes of Futurama? Or, do you think that without them, the show isn't worth bringing back?

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Futurama Is Back: Yay? Or Why?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:30:58 -0700

In a turn that sounds an awful lot like the rebirth of Family Guy, the animated series Futurama is being resurrected on Comedy Central. Creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen are back on board for a whopping 26 new episodes of the series, which should start airing in 2010.

Since Fox canceled the series in 2003, it's lived on through four straight-to-DVD movies. Apparently, those movies - and the series' performance in reruns and on DVD - made Comedy Central think there was a market for some all-new Futurama. So now I'm wondering: is there? Or does this news just baffle you?

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:30:54 -0800

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue.

Get Smart
Get Smart is the big pick of the week this week, and as far as rentals go, this would be an excellent choice. I enjoyed the goofy comedy on the big screen, but it's just as much fun for a relaxed, lighthearted at-home viewing - especially after watching all those scary movies for Halloween last week.

Netflix explains, "When the identities of secret agents from Control are compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) promotes hapless but eager analyst Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) and teams him with stylish, capable Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), the only spy whose cover remains intact. Now, they must work together to thwart the evil plans of KAOS and its crafty operative Siegfried (Terence Stamp)." The Rock also stars in the film and he is both funny and handsome.

Two more funny-geeky picks this week, so read more.

Reaper
Yes! The CW's Reaper was one of my favorite new shows last year and I faithfully watched every single wacky, silly, bizarre episode. The show follows Sam (the very cute Bret Harrison) who learns on his twenty-first birthday that his parents sold his soul to the devil (played to hilarious perfection by Ray Wise) and now Sam must re-capture souls that escape from hell. Together with his bumbling friends Sock (Tyler Labine) and Ben (Rick Gonzalez), Sam chases down the souls and brings them to Gladys (Christine Willes) at the DMV who naturally has a direct portal to hell through which she sends back the souls.

It sounds ridiculous, I know, but I had my reservations about the show at first and ended up loving it. The cast is totally endearing and the writing is very clever. Check out season one before the second season starts up (sometime in early 2009)!

Futurama: Bender's Game
Here you go, Futuramaheads, Bender's Game has arrived. I appreciate the punny play on the sci-fi classic Ender's Game in the title, and I'm sure this Futurama movie will be full of all kinds of nerdy goodness.

This feature film "traps the Planet Express crew in a fantastical world where anything can happen - and does. Billy West is back as the voice of hapless pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry, with John DiMaggio and Katey Sagal reprising their roles as Bender the potty-talking robot and Cycloptic captain Turanga Leela. Rich Little and George Takei guest star."

The DVD comes with ample bonus features, including (but not limited to): commentary by members of the cast and production team (including Matt Groening), interviews with the writers and producers, a featurette titled "How To Draw Futurama in 83 Easy Steps," recording session bloopers, a deleted scene and the preview for the next Futurama feature, Into the Wild Green Yonder.

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:30:50 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the titles below you can also bring home the blockbuster hit 10,000 B.C. and kid-friendly The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Definitely, Maybe
It's not a perfect movie, but I found myself totally happy with the charming Definitely, Maybe, despite a few faults. The main characters are nicely thought-out and far easier to identify with than characters in other romcoms this year like, say, Fool's Gold. Plus, Abigail Breslin is always an adorable treat.

The film follows Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds), a recent divorcee attempting to explain the complications of love to his smart little girl (Breslin). The movie takes on a How I Met Your Mother plot structure, going back in time to the three major loves of of Will's life: Emily (Elizabeth Banks), April (Isla Fisher) and Summer (Rachel Weisz). He doesn't reveal to Breslin's character or the audience who the mother is and it's unclear who he'll end up with. Overall, it's a fun twist on the old romcom formula. If it didn't seem worthy of movie theater prices, you'll definitely (maybe?) feel good about watching this at home.

Special features include commentary with director Adam Brooks and Ryan Reynolds and deleted scenes.

Two more animated movies so read more.

Persepolis
There was a lot of good stuff out in theaters when Persepolis came to theaters and I'm so glad I was able to make the time to see this touching film based on the popular autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi. The movie is visually something you never really see in popular animation, mostly drawn in black and white with big, bold, basic shapes. Rather than aiming for realism, the beauty of the animation lies in its simplicity.

The film is voiced in French with subtitles, and follows a young Marjane in 1978 Iran. Set against the backdrop of political upheaval, Persepolis tells Marjane's coming-of-age story, including her eventual separation from her beloved family. Full of warmth, humor, and a unique perspective on growing up in the non-West, it's no wonder the film earned an Oscar nomination.

Special features include an English language version of the film featuring the voices of Chiara Mastroianni, Sean Penn, Catherine Deneuve, Gena Rowlands and Iggy Pop, and the 2007 Cannes Film Festival press conference Q&A with cast and crew.

Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs
Another feature-length Futurama movie hits DVD stands and once again the fans go wild! In this one, the story picks up where Bender's Big Score left off. Netflix has a good plot summary: "The crew at Planet Express must work overtime to seal a portal between their universe and an alternate universe ruled by the gargantuan alien Yivo (David Cross), whose Earth-conquering plans include making Fry the pope of the alternate realm."

Special guest voices include Brittany Murphy and Stephen Hawking, and special features include: Futurama The Lost Adventure: A long-lost, full-length adventure produced for the Futurama Video Game, and a "Meet Yivo!" featurette with David Cross.

Link Time! 12/27

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:30:02 -0800

According to the MTV Movies Blog, the young members of the cast of Sweeney Todd claim they would love to make sequels to the gory musical.
TV Squad has details on a huge Futurama marathon happening now through Dec. 31.
Stereogum gets pumped for Radiohead's New Year's Eve webcast.
Popwatch wonders which movies should be preserved for future generations, citing A Christmas Story and When Harry Met Sally as key titles on their list.
Give Me My Remote has a fan video of the Office crew reacting to the saga of
Jim and Pam.
Cinematical has a great interview with the stars of The Great Debaters, including "Big Denzel" and "Little Denzel."

Poster image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Link Time! 11/15

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:28:27 -0800

FilmExperience has a gallery of images today titled "Kissing Jake Gyllenhaal." It's a must-see.
Pop Candy points us to a MySpace contest searching for the next great TV show.
Missing the Daily Show? Popwatch has a video that might tide you over.
Cinematical has a great interview with the producer and directors of the Futurama movie.
The TV Addict is really jealous of everyone with tickets for upcoming Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock live shows in New York.
Katharine McPhee and Tyson Ritter tell MTV Movies Blog all about their experiences working on the Anna Faris comedy I Know What Boys Like.
GeekSugar shows us Masi Oka's contribution to the One Laptop Per Child campaign.
TV Squad has an update on the Dead Like Me movie.
Stereogum muses over how this week's Gossip Girl brought The Virgins and Guitar Hero to the Upper East Side.
Give Me My Remote mourns tonight's final episode of The Office.
Vulture names 10 video games that should be movies - and assigns directors to each.

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Link Time! 10/16

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:31:14 -0700

Buddy TV fills us in on a Save Sara campaign launched by CSI fans.
Cinematical has a list of movie-related candy to hand out for Halloween, including Wonka Bars and Reeses Pieces (see: E.T.).
TV with MeeVee says you'd better watch the leaked trailer for the Futurama movie before Fox takes it down.
CasaSugar has a look at Miranda Hobbes' Sex and the City home.
Popwatch has to admit that Fergie's new video for "Clumsy" totally rules.
Two and a Half Men has hit its 100th episode, and TV Filter wonders why so many of us can't be bothered to care.
The TV Addict has a chat with Tate Donovan of Damages.
Mark Wahlberg chats with the MTV Movies Blog about working with M. Night Shyamalan on The Happening.
Give Me My Remote wonders: Is Brothers & Sisters too much of a downer sometimes?
Idolator poses a theory that Rilo Kiley gets worse as Jenny Lewis' skirts get shorter.
Best Week Ever thinks The Price is Right seemed rigged on Drew Carey's first day.

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What's Your Favorite Fox Animated Series Ever?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 04:30:00 -0700

One of the panels that got a big reaction at Comic-Con was for the former Fox animated series "Futurama," which is being resurrected for four straight-to-DVD movies. The first movie is expected to be released on Nov. 27, and the movies will later air as stand-alone episodes on Comedy Central.

At the "Futurama" panel, the producers showed their first new footage since the show was canceled (you can watch a fan video of it here - it's a little jumpy, but you'll get the idea). The announcement got me thinking about Fox's animated shows in general, and so I'm wondering: Which of their series is your favorite of all time?