The trailer for Season 8 of Futurama reintroduces a multitude of familiar characters, including the Planet Express crew, Roberto, Mom, Calculon, Zapp, Kif, and numerous others.
The Futurama Season 8 trailer unveils a plethora of returning characters in the highly anticipated revival, ranging from mainstays of the original series to minor supporting figures from the show’s past. Futurama has undergone a remarkable journey, initially running as a sci-fi cartoon comedy for four seasons from 1999 to 2002. Subsequently, fan demand prompted the creation of four standalone feature-length Futurama movies between 2007 and 2009. The positive reception of these movies led to a triumphant three-season revival of Futurama, with Seasons 5, 6, and 7 airing from 2010 to 2013. Following nearly a decade of silence, Hulu announced a revival of Futurama with a 20-episode Season 8 in 2022.
Now, the eagerly awaited Futurama Season 8 trailer has arrived, bringing back the expansive ensemble cast of characters. Similar to The Simpsons, Futurama showcases an array of one-off characters and guest stars throughout its various iterations. Consequently, it would be reasonable to expect that not every beloved character would make a return in Season 8. Nevertheless, the Futurama Season 8 trailer does an excellent job of ensuring that numerous cherished supporting stars from the show’s history are back in the fold. From the iconic Planet Express crew to the memorable villains from some of the show’s greatest adventures, the trailer reveals an abundance of characters set to grace the screen once again in the Futurama revival.
The Crew
Contrary to initial concerns about John DiMaggio reprising his role as the voice of Bender, the Futurama Season 8 trailer solidifies the return of the entire original Planet Express crew. Fry and Leela make a triumphant comeback, and from the looks of the trailer, their relationship is still going strong. Joining them are Hermes, Amy, Professor Farnsworth, Scruffy, Bender, and Zoidberg, all making their presence felt. Notably, Bender receives prominent attention in the trailer, delivering some of its most memorable lines. Given the challenges in securing DiMaggio’s return, it comes as no surprise that his character enjoys a prominent position in these promotional materials.
Calculon
Although Bender garnered the most notoriety as Futurama’s iconic robot during its original run, he was not the sole mechanical character in the show’s ensemble. Calculon, the suave and charismatic star of the in-universe soap opera All My Circuits, also made regular appearances throughout the series. Calculon had a brief romantic fling with Bender in the somewhat regrettable episode “Bend Her,” from Season 4 of Futurama. Additionally, he played smaller roles in numerous episodes. In the trailer for Futurama Season 8, Calculon can be spotted on a paddle boat that is about to meet a fiery demise.
The Worms
In the second episode of Futurama’s third season, titled “Parasites Lost,” Fry finds himself infected with a multitude of parasitic worms after consuming an expired egg salad sandwich from a gas station bathroom vending stall. What follows is an unexpectedly heartfelt storyline, as Fry faces a dilemma: whether to keep the enhanced intelligence bestowed upon him by the worms or undergo a procedure to remove them from his body. Ultimately, he chooses to rid himself of the worms, thereby sacrificing his newfound ability to win over Leela. However, in the trailer for Futurama Season 8, these antagonistic characters make a dramatic return and engage in a conflict with our beloved heroes.
Lrrr
Lrrr, a prominent recurring villain in Futurama, surpasses Roberto in terms of centrality to the series. As a tyrannical despot from the Omicronian race, Lrrr perpetually plots armed invasions of various planets, seeking to annihilate their inhabitants. However, there is a surprising twist to his character. Lrrr possesses an unusual fondness for Earth television, and his animosity towards humans stems from their unknowingly consuming his offspring. In the Futurama Season 8 trailer, Lrrr is depicted suffering from a comedic parody of the COVID-19 virus, adding a humorous touch to his character’s ongoing escapades.
Roberto
While Bender may be morally ambiguous, he maintains a level of sanity. However, the same cannot be said for Roberto, an extremely unstable recurring villain whom Bender crossed paths with during his time at the HAL Institute for Criminally Insane Robots. Roberto is a dangerously violent antagonist, constantly seeking to harm and kill Bender, as well as anyone else he comes across throughout the seven seasons of Futurama. Despite meeting his demise on multiple occasions, Roberto makes a surprising appearance in the season 8 trailer, depicted in a Wild West-style saloon, suggesting that this unhinged character will make yet another return.
Zapp Brannigan & Kif
Throughout the years, the outrageously self-centered military captain Zapp Brannigan served as Fry’s primary romantic rival in his pursuit of Futurama’s leading lady, Leela. A clueless braggart, Zapp’s blatant incompetence never deterred his arrogant endeavors to be the hero. Unfortunately, his misguided attempts often worsened the situations he aimed to resolve. Thankfully, Zapp’s loyal assistant, Kif, was consistently on hand to mitigate the damage. In the Futurama Season 8 trailer, a brief glimpse reveals Kif dutifully waxing his employer, implying that both characters will make a comeback in the upcoming season.
Dwight Conrad
Dwight Conrad, the son of Hermes, had recurring minor roles in various episodes of Futurama and inadvertently played a crucial part in setting up the storyline for the Dungeons and Dragons parody film, Bender’s Game. Much like his father, Dwight possesses a sharp business acumen and an aptitude for numbers. In the season 8 trailer of Futurama, a fleeting glimpse confirms Dwight’s return as he showcases yet another skill inherited from his father. The clip showcases Dwight and Hermes engaging in a limbo dance under a hail of bullets, demonstrating their shared talent for bending backward to avoid danger.
Nibbler
Initially appearing as an adorable animal companion to the Planet Express crew, Nibbler held a seemingly insignificant role. However, it was later unveiled that he was, in fact, Lord Nibblonian, a member of an ancient extraterrestrial race existing since the beginning of time. Nibbler’s true purpose was revealed when it became known that he was the one responsible for bringing Fry to the year 3000, and despite his immense intelligence and grand ambitions for the universe, he continued to be a valued member of the Planet Express crew. In the Futurama Season 8 trailer, Nibbler prominently speaks, indicating that he will once again unveil his true identity to the crew in this exciting new adventure.
Linda Van Schoonhoven
Linda van Schoonhoven, a familiar face in Futurama’s seven seasons and its four movies, serves as a newscaster on the show. Alongside the formidable alien Morbo, Linda co-hosts the news and makes sporadic appearances until later in the first trailer of Futurama Season 8. Despite her minor role, Linda stands out as one of the few supporting characters to appear in all four spinoff movies of Futurama. In the upcoming season 8, it is evident from the trailer that Linda will make a return, as a glimpse of a news report covering a mysterious illness sweeping the planet features prominently.
Mom
Undoubtedly the most significant antagonist in the extensive history of Futurama, Mom portrays the deceptively sweet CEO of MomCorp. Similar to Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, Mom is a heartless and merciless character who displays utter disdain towards her subordinates. However, unlike Mr. Burns, Mom manages to maintain a seemingly unshakable positive public image, while her own trio of foolish sons suffer her mistreatment. Staying true to her nature, the Futurama Season 8 trailer features Mom knocking her sons on the head, following yet another confrontation with the indomitable Planet Express crew.