The Simpsons (1989- ) return to the big screen in 2027, but for what purpose?

How Matt Groening’s brain-child secures the spotlight as it nears its 40 year anniversary

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Wikimedia Commons

As SUNY Geneseo’s self proclaimed The Simpsons (1989- ) aficionado and number one fan—fermenting at length on the subject—the recent news of The Simpsons Movie II (2027) struck me as would a gust of menial wind; just another in a long line of inside jokes made by fans. However, as I have sat with this news, I have begun to see the potential this movie could bring to a series at large. 

Since 2007, when The Simpsons Movie was released, Matt Groening and his fellow writers have joked on a variety of their series about the inevitability of a sequel to this hit animated film. Though never malintended, this banter played on the writers’ hesitancy to make a second film—often due to fans continuously requesting it. So, when it was announced that this film would be happening—releasing on July 23, 2027— and fans began speculating (again) about the show's end, I knew I had to get to the bottom of it. 

While the series has been renewed through season 40—with this movie releasing in between seasons 38 and 39 of the show—the most enticing fan theory I have seen is that this movie will act as a prelude to the penultimate season of the show. The biggest reason for this is the timing of the film, which is set to release two months after the Simpson family’s 40th anniversary on screen.  

For those unaware, The Simpsons (1989- ) began as a short on The Tracy Ullman Show (1987-90), where the iconic yellow family was featured in comedic, relatable segments of the family getting up to various antics. This regular segment began airing on Apr. 19, 1987, but shortly after, beginning in late 1989, it amassed a large enough following to get its own 30-minute show.

The early seasons of The Simpsons (1989- ) routinely called back to this history through the usage of character Troy McClure, who in various parody retrospection episodes discussed the predecessor show and the wacky changes that have followed. There is speculation brewing that this new film will reintroduce the classic character, maybe as a way to pay homage to the classic Simpsons days and crescendo the series into its final run. However, McClure has been absent from the series for quite some time out of respect for the late actor. According to TheSimpsonsWiki “Troy made his last speaking appearance in the Season 10 episode "Bart the Mother." Phil Hartman [voice of Troy McClure] was murdered by his wife Brynn…rather than replace Hartman with a new voice actor, the production staff retired McClure, along with Hartman's other characters…” This move is in line with more contemporary decisions made by the staff, like retiring long-time recurring character Edna Krabappel, voiced by the late Marcia Wallace. Given the show’s approach to the loss of voice actors like these, it is highly unlikely that they will choose to reintroduce McClure, and would likely be seen as disrespecting the dead. 

With this in mind, The Simpsons Movie II (2027) is shaping up to be an entirely new script, meant not to crescendo the series, but to potentially reinvigorate its fanbase as it continues to air. As stated in a previous Lamron article, the recent writers and animators have been utilizing a different animation style which has effectively allowed them to produce content quicker and with less effort. This makes it easier to roll out and produce new features for this franchise; why stop when they have truly now perfected the formula?  

So to see this new film—with the potential to draw in a large audience of returning, younger, and entirely new fans—be used as a catalyst for the next generation of The Simpsons (1989- ) content, I would not be surprised. As beloved supplementary Simpsons games like The Simpsons: Tapped Out are pulled from the public's access, the franchise is looking for new means to keep their characters in the public mind, and what better way to do that than to surge back into view with a cinematic blast!

While the future of The Simpsons (1989- ) will continue to be based on fan reception and the motivation of Matt Groening and affiliates to create more, The Simpsons Movie II (2027) is set to be an event to revitalize interest in the series. I hope to see this film be of the same caliber as The Simpsons Movie (2007) and deliver a story which fans will deem worthy of crescendoing the series—while also being one that ensures the franchise's continuance for the foreseeable future.