Video service Hulu will release a sequel to the popular animated sci-fi comedy series for adults "Futurama".

According to Variety, 20 new episodes will be filmed as part of the project.

Work on them will begin in February 2022, and the premiere is scheduled for 2023.

Production will be handled by producers and writers David I. Cohen and Matt Groening, who worked on the original series and a number of feature films released as part of the franchise.

"This iconic animated series has helped pave the way for the success of adult animation since its launch, and we look forward to Matt and David continuing to forge that path and cement Hulu's position as the genre's premier hub," said Hulu Originals President and ABC Entertainment Craig Erwich.

The tape is being created jointly by 20th Television Animation and Rough Draft Studios, Inc.

“What I love about animation is that a successful show can go on hiatus and come back years later, even on a different platform, and pick up where it left off.

Futurama is one such show,” said Marky Proietto, head of 20th Television Animation.

According to her, the sequel to Futurama is "a win for the fans who have loved the show since its inception, and for those who are now discovering it for the first time."

Actors who voiced the original project will join the work on the new series.

Among them are Billy West (Fry, Professor Hubert and Dr. Zoidberg), Katey Sagal (Lila), Lauren Tom (Amy) and Phil LaMarr (Hermes).

The participation of John DiMaggio, who gave his voice to Bender, is in question.

According to Variety, the authors of the animated series do not exclude the possibility of replacing it.

DiMaggio has not yet commented on his participation in the continuation of Futurama, however, on his Twitter page, he reposted the publications of some site users expressing dissatisfaction with the possible absence of the artist in the project.

“Listen, John DiMaggio has to come back as Bender, otherwise it’s not such good news,” reads one of the comments.

“If you can’t get John DiMaggio back, then put out the lights, Futurama without Bender is like the golden age of The Simpsons without Homer,” writes another blogger.

The voice actor thanked the users for their support and promised to keep them updated on further developments.

  • © Frame from the animated series "Futurama" (1999)

The original Futurama series premiered in 1999.

It tells the story of a 25-year-old pizza delivery man named Philip J. Fry.

According to the story, on the night of January 1, 2000, he falls into a cryogenic capsule and defrosts exactly one thousand years later.

The hero gets a job at a delivery company, makes new friends and tries to get used to life in the distant future.

The series found its audience shortly after the premiere, but the Fox television network that produced it did not consider the project promising.

Futurama was halted in 2002 while working on its fourth season and continued a few years later on Comedy Central.

Several full-length animated films were released between 2007 and 2009, which were later recut for a fifth season.

Two more seasons aired from 2010 to 2013.

Over time, Futurama has gained cult status.

The project received 14 nominations for the Emmy Award and was awarded six statuettes, including in the nomination for Outstanding Animated Program.

One of the reasons for its success is the large-scale study of the world presented on the screen.

The creators of the series even before its premiere collected the concepts of the future, which have been put forward for decades, and combined them into one story.

Most of the futuristic ideas presented in the series are based on real scientific principles - the Futurama creative team included specialists who understood mathematics and the natural sciences.

Also in the team were PhDs.

As a result, the series included many details and hints that fans actively discussed online.

Among other projects, the Futurama series also stood out for its mixture of genres.

It belongs to science fiction, but all the technologies of the future and scientific concepts are described in a comedic way.

In addition, in the tape, according to her fans, there is an emotional depth, which animation often lacks.