Movies - TV
Futurama Had A Back-Up Plan For Bender If John DiMaggio Didn’t Return
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
After Hulu announced the revival of "Futurama," an X post from John DiMaggio, who voices Bender and several other characters, made his return to the show sound uncertain.
In his February 2022 post, DiMaggio explained that the studio didn't pay him enough and was seemingly dismissive of the entire cast. It led to a month-long contract standoff.
Although DiMaggio didn't get more money, the dispute was settled. As DiMaggio revealed at a recent fan event in Phoenix, Arizona, Hulu actually had a backup plan in case he quit.
The plan was to cast a known celebrity as Bender in each episode — just what happened with Geoff Peterson, the robot skeleton sidekick in "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson."
In 2011, celebrities like Alfred Molina, Larry King, Paula Poundstone, Jason Schwartzman, and Lauren Graham filled in for Josh Robert Thompson, who voiced and operated Geoff.
While Thompson was unavailable, each celebrity played Geoff for one episode, and hilariously, not everyone seemed in on the joke. Perhaps this inspired the producers of "Futurama."