‘Futurama’ gets disappointing update after Season 14 finale

‘Futurama’ faces an uncertain future after its Season 14 finale while Matt Groening shared what fans can expect next.
Leela and Fry stand together in a scene from ‘Futurama’ (Cover Image Source: Hulu | Youtube)
Leela and Fry stand together in a scene from ‘Futurama’ (Cover Image Source: Hulu | Youtube)

‘Futurama’ has survived enough endings to make another finale feel familiar. Its latest episode even announces the joke in its title, 'Final Ending: The Last Conclusion.' But after the Season 14 finale arrived on Hulu on September 28, viewers received a less playful update about what comes next. Hulu currently has no plans to order Season 15, bringing the show’s regular-season run to a close for now.

That does not mean Fry, Leela, and Bender have made their last appearance. Three previously announced “XXXL-Sized” specials are in production for Hulu. The first is a Christmas installment scheduled for 2027, and creator Matt Groening has confirmed that Robot Santa will be part of it. Release dates for the other two specials have not been announced.

The Season 14 finale’s title reflects a problem the creative team has faced repeatedly: writing an ending without knowing whether more episodes will follow. Executive producer David X. Cohen said on 'The Making Of' podcast that the episode was the sixth potential series finale the team has written. With the three specials underway, they are now working on what Cohen calls their seventh potential series finale.

Groening is leaving room for another return. “They can put us in a coffin. They can nail the lid shut, but they can’t bury us. We will rise again. I guess I’m not too worried,” he told Variety. He said the actors, writers, and animators want to make more stories, although no additional season has been ordered. His confidence follows a history of revivals rather than a new commitment from Hulu.

Fry stands in a river while Leela and the Planet Express crew watch from the bank (Image Source: Hulu | Youtube)
Fry stands in a river while Leela and the Planet Express crew watch from the bank (Image Source: Hulu | YouTube)

‘Futurama’ premiered on Fox in 1999 and ended its run there in 2003. Comedy Central brought it back in 2008 before its run on that network concluded in 2013. Hulu revived the series in 2023, giving the Planet Express crew four more seasons. The latest finale closes that stretch of regular episodes, while the confirmed specials keep the franchise in production.

Groening has kept the stories for the second and third specials under wraps, but he told Variety they will revisit threads planted early in the series and address questions that have lingered for years. He also said the longer format gives the team more room for each story. For now, the Christmas special is the next confirmed installment; Hulu has not announced a Season 15 or said what will happen after the three specials.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

'The Audacity' Season 2 adds a major new character as the AMC drama expands its Silicon Valley story ahead of its 2027 return.
31 minutes ago
Apple TV's 'Nocturne' follows detective Jonah Lynn and FBI agent Saga Bauer as they hunt serial killer Jurek Walter.
1 hour ago
A ‘Scrubs’ original star who left acting in 2009 could appear in the final episodes of Season 2.
2 hours ago
'LEGO One Piece' revisits the Straw Hat Pirates' early adventures as Usopp retells their journey with a few playful twists.
3 hours ago
Creator Nely Galán and surgeon Terry Dubrow are missing from the new Hulu film that gathers former contestants and production staff
10 hours ago
'Line of Fire,' starring Peter Krause and Hope Davis, airs new episodes every Monday on NBC
11 hours ago
Jeremy Schaap won $500,000 for his charity after emerging victorious on 'ESPN Jeopardy!' Season 1
13 hours ago
'Grey's Anatomy' Season 23 welcomes three new characters, bringing fresh storylines to Grey Sloan Memorial
15 hours ago
The Season 4 finale aired on September 16, and Season 5 is currently in production
15 hours ago
Netflix's 'A Different World' reboot has made a strong early impression, with the first season leaving several storylines open for the future.
22 hours ago