Futurama Revival Proves Internet Buzz Can Have Much More Impact Than You Think

If there's one thing the Internet is definitely good for, it's creating a buzz around just about any topic you can think of. While this can be a terrible tool when it falls into the wrong hands and can create a very false narrative, it can also be very useful in many different situations. Most loyal fans of artists, musicians, and actors know this particularly well.

The story of John DiMaggio, who wasn't originally supposed to be part of the Futurama revival but insisted on being included, is a great example of how fans can use the web to help actors and studios make the right choices.

After all, the end goal for studios and networks, no matter what the project, is always profit. And the viewers are the ones who can influence that and voice their concerns with a powerful message through social media.

This is exactly what Futurama fans did in defense of DiMaggio with the hashtag #BenderGate when Hulu rejected the actor's request for a raise and decided to proceed with the reboot without Bender at all. Needless to say, the decision was not popular.

"I didn't want, nor did my agent want, me standing outside of a house that I should have been having Thanksgiving dinner in. It was just like, 'OK, I gotta say yes, because I don't want the demise of the show on my shoulders.' They were ready to bring in other people. It was what it was," the actor recalled for Variety.

Although the actor didn't get the raise he initially fought Hulu for, he says he got "a lot of respect" for standing up for himself and not keeping quiet about the issue.

With both the WGA and SAG AFTRA strikes beginning this year over the exact same issues that John DiMaggio had with Hulu, it just goes to show how deeply rooted these issues are and how fan support can influence the decision-making process.

If you didn't have a chance to catch up with the 2023 episodes of Futurama, you can go ahead and do so by streaming the show on Hulu.

Source: Variety