John DiMaggio Explains Why He Returned To Voice Bender In 'Futurama' After All
The legendary voice actor finally talked about his return to voice the alcoholic robot Bender without a pay raise, despite his previous battle with Hulu and Disney.
DiMaggio started his work on a Matt Groening-created series back in 1999, and the show, which recounted the lives and tribulations of a host of lovable characters living far into the future, quickly became a favorite. Although 'Futurama ' didn't reach the level of 'The Simpsons ', it ran successfully for nearly 15 years and ended in 2013, winning the hearts of fans and becoming a true cult animated series. Now Hulu has announced plans to revive the series for another 20 episodes, and John DiMaggio the last of the main actors to sign on.
In a highly publicized battle, Di Maggio and Disney executives bumped heads: the actor asked for more money to come back, and the studio refused to give the slightest bit of concession. DiMaggio did sign a contract after all, and fans were under the impression that he had won the battle, but that didn't seem to be the case. During an appearance at Phoenix Fan Fusion (via /Film) DiMaggio finally addressed the situation, detailing his struggle to fit in with the modern film business.
"I didn't get more money. But what I did get was a lot of respect, and a lot of head nods from people who are like, 'Yo bro, I see you and thank you'… Trying to get money out of Disney is like trying to get blood from a stone," DiMaggio said.
Fans, of course, support the actor's struggle to get more money from a major studio, but some still point out that Disney's position in this situation is understandable.
New episodes of 'Futurama' will premiere on Hulu sometime next year.