How Futurama Got Back At Leonardo DiCaprio For Turning Down A Titanic Cameo
"Futurama" may be set in the 31st century, but a lot of its humor relies on the pop culture of the 20th and 21st. As early as episode 10, "A Flight to Remember" (the season 2 premiere going by broadcast order), "Futurama" was parodying contemporary movies: in this case, "Titanic," then the highest-grossing film of all time. The episode's title comes from another movie about the 1912 ship sinking, "A Night to Remember."
The Planet Express crew takes a vacation on the Titanic; this one is a spaceship rather than an ocean cruiser (though it looks the same, just with "Star Trek" like nacelles at the rear). On board, Bender romances the Countess de la Roca, a robot who looks suspiciously like Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). Amy's parents are also on the cruise, while Zapp Brannigan is the ship's captain. So, both Amy and Leela rope Fry into pretending to be their respective boyfriend to get the elder Wongs and Zapp, respectively, off their backs (it doesn't take much convincing for Fry). Speaking of Zapp, this Titanic only crashes because he alters the ship's course too close to a black hole.
In the episode's commentary track, co-creator Matt Groening revealed that they wanted Leonardo DiCaprio to cameo as himself in the episode (in "Futurama," celebrities and historical figures' still-living heads are preserved in jars). DiCaprio declined, apparently too busy, but his likeness still appears in "A Flight to Remember" — and it's not a flattering cameo.
Getting ahead of DiCaprio
You might know the old custom of christening a boat's maiden voyage by smashing a bottle on its hull. Zapp does so to the Titanic, only he doesn't use a bottle, but the jar holding DiCaprio's head. There's a close-up of the jar, lingering about a second to make the joke clear, as Zapp's assistant Kif hands it off to his captain. Zapp then throws it at the hull, shattering it as DiCaprio's head bounces away like a ball.
Co-creator David X. Cohen pointed out DiCaprio's appearance and then said "take that!" in the commentary track, implying the cameo was some petty revenge for DiCaprio saying no. What would the cameo have been like if the actor agreed to a guest appearance? Groening said they specifically asked DiCaprio to appear in "this scene," so it probably would've been similar. Leo would've just gotten a sentence or two in before Zapp smashed his jar; the scene as is relies on his animated facial expressions to convey his reactions.
Could a future DiCaprio "Futurama" cameo be in the cards? Leo is no less the star today than he was when he starred in "Titanic." However, "Futurama" turns 25 in 2024, so the window of his interest is slim.
"Futurama" is streaming on Hulu.