'Futurama': Bender Voice Actor Explains Why He's Not Returning For Revival

Futurama star John DiMaggio has explained to fans exactly why he's not currently expected to be a part of the upcoming Hulu revival.

Earlier this week it was confirmed that original creators David X. Cohen and Matt Groening have signed up for a 20-episode Futurama revival that will reunite most of the original cast. However, fans quickly noticed there was no mention of John DiMaggio, who plays the beloved robot Bender Bending Rodríguez.

According to reports, the show's producers are "hopeful" that DiMaggio will return, but that there are plans to simply move ahead with the series and recast Bender if he doesn't. Naturally, this didn't go down well with fans who feel that DiMaggio and Bender are inseparable. Which, to be fair, they are.

In a series of Tweets, DiMaggio thanked fans for their concern and promised to keep everyone updated on the situation. He also retweeted an article from Entertainment Weekly which explains that he considered Hulu's original offer to be "lowball". In others words, DiMaggio knows how he important he is to the fans and the legacy of Futurama, and is holding out for a better offer. More power to him.

"Thanks for the concern and the props, everyone. I really appreciate it," the actor wrote. "Don't worry, I'll keep you posted, but until then… CHEESE IT! #bendergate".

While the question of DiMaggio's involvement lingers, fans can expect to see Billy West (Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Zoidberg) and Katey Sagal (Leela) return alongside other series mainstays Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman.