Comic-Con 2020: 'The Simpsons' spoofs Disney-Fox merger with Disney Princess Homer
'The Simpsons'@Home panel during Comic-Con@Home 2020 dropped a clip that's reportedly from the upcoming 'Treehouse of Horror XXXI'. The short clip jokes about the Disney-Fox merger by featuring three different versions of Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta).
In the clip, Homer wakes up in the nuclear plant to see Homer-Barbera (a clear parody of Hanna-Barbera's Yogi Bear). The two have a short conversation about the estate of Art Carney, whose Ed Norton character on 'The Honeymooners' was reportedly an inspiration for Yogi Bear before they're interrupted by a falling pumpkin carriage. Out of the carriage steps a version of Homer in a Cinderella outfit who claims to be Disney Princess Homer. A still from the scene had previously been released online as promotional material for the upcoming Season 32 Halloween special.
The Disney-Fox merger was first announced in 2017 and completed in March 2019. As part of the deal, all Fox properties including the Fox Broadcasting Company, which owns 'The Simpsons', are now part of The Walt Disney Company.
Another 'Treehouse of Horror' clip was also featured during the panel featuring Al Jean, Matt Selman, David Silverman, Carolyn Omine, Mike B. Anderson, and moderator Yeardley Smith, the iconic voice of Lisa Simpson. That short time-lapse style video showed what happens to the Halloween candy after the annual festivities are done. As you might expect, Homer eats it all to the point where he has to be revived by EMTs and then keeps eating.
There have been some theories circulating online that suggest the upcoming Halloween special will be a parody of 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', the hit animated movie by Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation in association with Marvel. Based on the appearances by Homer-Barbera and Disney Princess Homer, this does appear to be the case, though there are bound to be a few more big-name movies and shows parodied in the special episode.
'Treehouse of Horror XXXI' was initially produced as an episode of Season 31 but it had to be postponed because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. It is now expected to be released in October 2020.