'Futurama' cast in limbo

July 17, 2009 Back in June when 20th TV and Comedy Central announced a deal to produce 26 new episodes of "Futurama," the producers noted that no deals with the show's original voice cast had been closed but expressed confidence that all of them would return. When, under similar circumstances another canceled Fox/20th TV animated series, "Family Guy," was resurrected with a pickup of new episodes by Adult Swim in 2005, the show's entire voice cast came back for what is described as approximately the same salaries they were paid when "Guy" aired on Fox from 1999-2002. However, on "Family Guy," creator Seth MacFarlane voices the key characters, while the entire cast of "Futurama," like that of "The Simpsons," consists of outside actors.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.