The Simpson Movie was a large success when it first hit theaters back in 2007. It went on to make more than half a billion dollars worldwide on a $75 million budget, which is not too shabby for an animated movie not geared toward children. So, why has a sequel to the original movie never made its way onto the big screen yet, and could we eventually get another movie? Matt Groening has answers.
Fans of The Simpsons flocked to Ballroom 20 to talk candidly with some of the creative team regarding all things Simpsons. One question from a fan was about the potential for another movie to hit theaters down the line, and Groening took the question on.
After Matt Groening very clearly jokingly noted ‘It opens next Friday, big surprise,’ he launched into an explanation regarding why The Simpsons Movie 2 hasn’t happened yet. And no, the Disney/Fox merger does not seem to be at fault.
This is a true answer. The first Simpsons Movie almost killed us. We didn’t have a B-team waiting to do The Simpsons Movie, so the same people who wrote, animated, voiced and did the music for The Simpsons TV show also did the movie. That was in 2007. We’re almost recovered, almost.
So, while the financial success of the original movie may make it seem like a no brainer, that’s not really true for the creative team. The Simpsons is heading into Season 31 this TV season, and still routinely produces a full season of television, with 23 episodes airing during the 2018-2019 TV season.
A little less than a year ago, reports indicated Twentieth Century Fox was going to produce a full slate of big screen animated adventures for shows like The Simpsons, but also the likes of Bob’s Burgers and more. Of course, then the whole Disney and Fox merger became a real-life thing that happened.
For now, more than a decade after the original movie premiered, it looks as if there is no Simpsons Movie sequel in the works. However, Matt Groening is bullish there will be another big screen venture for fans at some point. The Simpsons creator also mentioned this during the panel itself, taking a crack at new parent company Disney in the process.
No doubt there will be another Simpsons movie one of these days. I think Disney wants something for its money.
Ha! Actually, we already know The Simpsons should have a long shelf-life with Disney. A few months ago, we learned that The Simpsons would, in fact, be one of the myriad projects heading to Disney+, the new streaming service Disney will be launching that will feature both movie and TV projects.
The new service is expected to launch this fall, and while there’s no date for a sequel to the big screen venture, a lot of people related to the show seem excited about a movie possibility. The Simpsons will also be back on Fox this fall. Take a look at when all of your favorites will be premiering with our full TV premiere schedule.
