The voice actor didn’t originally sign on over a pay dispute
John DiMaggio, the voice of Bender in Futurama, has confirmed he’s signed on to Hulu’s revival of the animated comedy series.
- READ MORE: The 10 best episodes of ‘Futurama’
Last month, fans rallied around DiMaggio using the hashtag “#Bendergate” after the voice actor was missing from the revival’s cast. After thanking fans for their support, he explained that he refused because he believed himself and the rest of the cast deserved to be paid more than what was offered.
In a statement confirming his return, DiMaggio said: “I’M BACK, BABY! So damn grateful for the love and support of fans and colleagues alike during this whole time (especially my wife, Kate), and I cannot wait to get back to work with my Futurama family.
“#Bendergate is officially over, so put it on the back of a shelf behind Xmas decorations, or maybe in that kitchen drawer with all of the other crap you put in there like old unusable crazy glue, or maybe even put it in a jar you save farts in. Whatever floats your boat, I don’t care, you get the picture. I’M BACK, BABY! BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!”
I’M BACK, BABY!
— John DiMaggio (@TheJohnDiMaggio) March 1, 2022
It’s unclear whether his return comes with a pay increase, although Deadline reports any bump was “minimal at best”.
Hulu has ordered 20 episodes of Futurama’s new incarnation, from original creators David X. Cohen and Matt Groening.
“From the moment John DiMaggio auditioned last century, we knew we had our Bender,” Groening said. “So congrats to everyone at Futurama. We’re all back, baby!”
Cohen said: “John DiMaggio may be a great robot, but he’s also a great human being. Not many people or machines can say that. For the fourth time, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thrill to be back with our entire original cast and the phenomenal animators of Rough Draft Studios!”
DiMaggio joins already confirmed original cast members Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman.
Futurama’s revival series is expected to release in 2023.
The post John DiMaggio to return as Bender in ‘Futurama’ revival: “I’m back, baby!” appeared first on NME.
