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Bad news everyone - Futurama travesty in the making

nevermore

Admiral
Admiral
Didn't see this posted yet, and I know ya'll love a good opportunity to send outraged emails, so...

Apparently Fox has sent out a casting call to replace the voice actors on Futurama, which I see as a sure sign of pure evil. Oh well, at least it will mean I don't have to figure out when its on. :vulcan:

Here's the call sheet, originally posted on Phil LaMarr's Facebook page:

Thursday, Jul. 16, 2009, 5:54 PM Pacific

FUTURAMA
Voice Over
Episodic
1/2 hour animated comedy for Twentieth Century Fox Television
SAG


Creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen
Casting Director: Scott Muller
Shoot/Start Date: August
Pay Rate: TBD
Location: Los Angeles

SUBMIT ELECTRONICALLY
OR
FOR SUBMISSION OF AUDIO ONLY (MP3S ON CD PLEASE) KING OF THE HILL
ATTN: SCOTT MULLER
15821 VENTURA BLVD.
ENCINO, CA
91436

VOICE AUDITIONS MAY BE SENT IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

1. MP3 AUDIO AUDITIONS ONLINE IN WHATEVER MEANS IS CONVENIENT FOR YOU.

2. MP3 AUDIO AUDITIONS ON CD.

3.EMAILED AS ATTACHMENTS TO: FUTURAMA@SCOTTMULLERCASTING.COM (NOTE: PLEASE USE THIS METHOD SPARINGLY, ATTACHMENTS NOT TO EXCEED 5 MB) AUDITIONS SHOULD BE SENT ASAP AS WE WILL BE MOVING QUICKLY. PRODUCER SESSIONS WILL BE HELD AT A DATE TBD.

We are starting casting immediately for Futurama, a half-hour animated comedy created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. Descriptions of these established characters follow, along with links to clips of previous episodes for reference.


SERIES REGULAR ROLES:

[ PHILIP J. FRY (FRY) ]
Fry, a 20th century slacker, works as a pizza delivery boy. On December 21st, 1999, he is cryogenically frozen and wakes up 1000 years in the future in the city of New New York. Through a series of events, Fry tracks down his great (x30) nephew Professor Hubert Farnsworth and lands a job at the Professors Planet Express delivery company as a delivery boy. Fry bunks with Planet Expresss beer-swilling robot, Bender. Fry is constantly trying to win the heart of Leela, the companys ship captain...SERIES REGULAR

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=164702&title=flashback-freeze (Episode 5ACV03)

[ TURANGA LEELA (LEELA) ]
Leela, a sexy Cyclops, is the captain of the Planet Express delivery ship. Leela is in charge of every company mission, having her hands full keeping Fry and Bender in line. Her early years were spent in an orphanage where she was a bit of an outcast for having one eye. She took up kickboxing and other similar sports to make up for the lack of friends. She still has problems with men and often gets jealous of Amys (her co-worker) popularity among the opposite sex. She has a soft spot for Fry but is unsure of anything further than that, due to Frys clumsy advances...SERIES REGULAR

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=162824&title=leelas-timeline (Episode 4ACV02)

[ BENDER BENDING RODRIQUEZ (BENDER) ]
Bender, a cigar-smoking, booze-guzzling, kleptomaniac robot, had a successful career in bending girders but tired to kill himself when he found out the girders were being used for suicide booths. He was saved by Fry and later took a job at Planet Express. To be able to function properly, Bender needs the chemical energy from alcohol. Excessive drinking is mandatory or he will become sober and unable to control his body. Magnets stuck to his head make him sing like a folk singer...SERIES REGULAR

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=188899&title=bender-the-drone (Episode 5ACV05)

[ PROFESSOR HUBERT FARNSWORTH (PROFESSOR) ]
Professor Hubert Farnsworth is the owner of the Planet Express delivery company, which he uses to fund his strange scientific experiments. He also lectures at Mars University on the mathematics of quantum neutrino fields (he made up the name so no one would dare take the course). He is technically 160 years old, but to avoid being picked up by the sunset squad and taken to the near death star he says he is only 150...SERIES REGULAR

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=217636&title=back-in-action (Episode 5ACV01)

[ DR. JOHN ZOIDBERG (ZOIDBERG) ]
Dr. Zoidberg, a lobster-like alien, left his home planet of Decapod 10 to become a rich doctor but instead became the Planet Express staff doctor (doesnt pay so well). Zoidberg, who is usually shunned by the rest of the Planet Express crew, is always in search of his next meal. His skill as a surgeon, and basic knowledge of human anatomy, are often called into question. He secretly desires to become a stand-up comedian...SERIES REGULAR

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=147743&title=love-lessons (Episode 2ACV05)

FUTURAMA RECURRING ROLES:

[ MOM ]
Mom is the very old, very rich, very ruthless founder of Moms Friendly Robot Company. She has three sons: Walt, Larry, and Igner, who work for the company and help Mom do her dirty work. Many years ago, Farnsworth worked for Moms Friendly Robot Company, and they had a fling, which ended when Mom kept turning Farnsworths cute inventions into mad, killing machines...RECURRING

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=147736&title=mothers-day (Episode 2ACV14)

[ ZAPP BRANNIGAN ]
Zapp Brannigan is a 25-star General of the Democratic Order of Planets and has been responsible for several successful wars including a triumph over the pacifists of the Ghandi Nebula. He is always accompanies on mission by his hapless assistant Kif Kroker. Behind all his bravado he is a wimp who is not very intelligent. He once slept with Leela, a fact hat he constantly reminds her of...RECURRING

http://www.hulu.com/watch/60311/futurama-zapp-in-the-shower (Episode 2ACV17)

[ KIF KROKER (KIF) ]
Kif Kroker is a hard working, long suffering alien Lieutenant of the DOOP who does all the hard work and takes the rap for problems usually caused by Zapp Brannigan (his superior officer). Zapp considers Kif to be his most loyal friend however, Kif in fact views Zapp as an imbecile. He is smitten with his current girlfriend Amy. He has no bones and is supported by a system of inflated bladders...RECURRING

http://www.hulu.com/watch/4471/futurama-kif-is-pregnant (Episode 4ACV01)

Its probably a negotiating ploy, like Fox tried with the Simpsons, but they should feel the wrath of the geek community anyway. Start typing kids.
 
How strange.

As critical as I have been of the movies subsequently leading to my worry over a new season, I would hope that Groening, Cohen and the rest of the production staff threaten to pull out if they do a total recast.
 
Yeah I would have figured the studio and creators would have ensured the original cast would be involved before even CONSIDERING making new episodes.
 
What a stupid move. I guess they are just negotiating but if this actually goes through...

There just aren't enough :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: in the world.
 
I have no problem with recasting the voice talent. Multiple Doctor Who's, James Bonds, a second Galactica, Trek and V. Whos to say the new voices wont be superior? Will I miss the classic voices? Nope have them all on DVD forever. Will I compare them to the originals? Of course, just like I do with all the shows listed above.
 
Wow, that's just fucked up. Hopefully nothing comes of this because I don't think I'd want to watch the show with new actors (especially after they resigned them for the movies, so there's no real excuse).
 
Here's LaMarr in comment #15 on his Facebook thread:
It's a negotiating ploy by 20th Century Fox studio. It's the same thing they did w/ the Simpsons several years ago. They're hoping to scare the actors into accepting lower pay.
They don't think that it matters to the audience who is doing the voices. If people's emails don't convince them, maybe they'll find out at the Comic-Con panel next week.
 
I note that Hermes hasn't been replaced. Slimy bugger, probably bent real low in the contract negotiations.
 
I note that Hermes hasn't been replaced. Slimy bugger, probably bent real low in the contract negotiations.

Probably not, since Phil "Hermes" LaMarr is, you may have noticed upthread, the one who spilled it and said that we'd all best assist the actors in sticking it to the sons of bitches.
 
Yeah I would have figured the studio and creators would have ensured the original cast would be involved before even CONSIDERING making new episodes.

They did! All the main cast was very willing to come back and do the show, there were interviewers about how excited they were. If I were the show I would go "Fuck Fox" and move on with the plan as it was last month.

Incredibly stupid, I guess the show really is dead, i consider the movies a travesty.
 
This is Fox so it shouldn't surprise me yet somehow it does. They are such screw ups at the network but this is big even for them.
 
I'm not the biggest Futurama fan there is, but I was going to watch these...

I guess I don't have to worry about it now.

Negotiation ploy or not, it's an asshat thing to do. Period.
 
*Pounds head on table in frustration*

I'll check it out... but I'm annoyed... (and should audition, LOL!)
 
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