It seems as if you can find Futurama airing on some channel somewhere at any time of the day. Fans have been enjoying reruns of the hit alien-centered animated comedy for years, and recently, the news was shared that a Futurama reboot was underway. People were thrilled to learn that dopey Phillip J. Fry and his cast of cohorts would be returning, however, there has been a bit of controversy going on behind the scenes.
One of the show’s most popular characters is Bender, the often crude robot with a heart of gold, voiced by actor John DiMaggio. Deadline reported that negotiations haven’t been going as well as DiMaggio expected, so he has refused to return as the beloved character, thus being recast. He has spoken out about why he stood his ground as fans call for a boycott of the revived series.
Joshua Blanchard / Stringer / Getty Images
“Bender is part of my soul and nothing about this is supposed to be disrespectful to the fans or my Futurama family,” he recently tweeted. “It’s about self-respect. And honestly, being tired of an industry that’s become far too corporate and takes advantage of artists’ time and talent.”
“Just to be clear, I don’t think that only I deserve to be paid more, I think the entire cast does,” DiMaggio added. “Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business. Everyone has a different strategy and different boundaries. Their ‘price’. Some accept offers, some hold their ground.” He then reposted supportive messages from fans and thanked them for their kind words.
Should they move forward without the original voice of Bender?
[via]