Although it might be a while before viewers get to seeThe Simpsons Movie 2, the creators ofThe Simpsonshave a good justification for this wait.The Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, so viewers can hardly complain that there isn’t enough of a back catalog for them to view again. However, although there are 790 episodes of the iconic TV comedy, the show has only released one theatrically released feature-length spinoff movie in its 36 years on the air.
Speaking at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival,The Simpsonsco-creator Matt Groeningexplained the reason behind this wait. Groening said that, since the show doesn’t have a “B-team” working behind the scenes, the creators of the movie had to simultaneously work on both the show’s regular episodes and 2007’sThe Simpsons Movie. This inevitably resulted in burnout, but that is not the only reason that the 18-year wait forThe Simpsons Movie 2continuesin 2025.
The Simpsons Producer Noted That Most Episodes of The Simpsons Are Structured Like Movies
The Simpsonsshowrunner Matt Selman also spoke at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, commenting on the possibility ofThe Simpsons Movie 2toScreenDaily. The executive producer noted that any potential sequel would need to justify its existence since the show’s standard episodes are often already as ambitious as movies despite their shorter runtimes. Per Selman, “The best The Simpsons episodes are structured like little movies anyway, through the three-act structure.”
Thanks to this structure, Selman argued that “When you see it in the theatre, you have to think, why is this big screen worthy?” Therecent critical success ofThe Simpsonsproves that Selman’s comments carry some weight, as the show has garnered praise since season 33 for its ambitious, character-centric storytelling. Like the Golden Age ofThe Simpsons, many episodes from seasons 33, 34, 35, and 36 could be expanded into full-length movies thanks to their surprisingly immersive storylines. On the one hand, these recent stories proveThe Simpsons Movie 2could be great.
The Simpsonscould pull off another movie with a plot that amounts to a super-sized episode.
The ambition of recent seasons ofThe Simpsonshighlights the advantages of the movie format, as the show’s brevity results in many outings with great, under-explored premises. These plots feel underdeveloped in 20-minute episodes, thus provingThe Simpsonscould pull off another movie with a plot that amounts to a super-sized episode. However, sinceThe Simpsonsis arguably themost influential network sitcom of all time, it also makes sense for the show to prioritize its weekly outings over theatrical spinoffs that take years to make.
The Simpsons Season 36 Backs Up Selman’s Comment
Many New Episodes of The Simpsons Have Surprisingly Ambitious Storylines
The flip side of Selman’s comment is that recent seasons ofThe Simpsonshave enjoyed renewed critical success precisely because of their focus on character-centric storytelling, so jeopardizing this hot streak for the sake of a sequel toThe Simpsons Moviecould be a fool’s errand.The demand for a sequel toThe Simpsons Movieremains high, but it isn’t growing with each passing year. If anything, the show’s dwindling ratings prove that, despite its critical success, the series needs to focus on its small-screen offerings.
That is exactly what season 36’s episodes did, offering interesting, playful episodes that experimented with the show’s format to tell fresh stories. Season 36, episode 8, “Convenience Airways,” was told in flashback as a comedic parody of courtroom dramas, while episode 7, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” was an unexpected tribute to legendary genre author Ray Bradbury. While one ofLisa’s bestThe Simpsonsstorylinesremains unfinished, these recent plots still prove the show isn’t short on ambition in its fourth decade.
Why Delaying The Simpsons Film Is Actually Good
The Show’s Recent Critical Success Could Be Marred By A Sequel
Speaking about the possibility of another movie, Selman joked that any sequel toThe Simpsons Moviewouldn’t beat the original movie’s already-trim 87-minute runtime. Per Selman, “If we do a movie, I promise you this, it will be the shortest movie we can legally put in theatres and still charge full price.” While this comment was obviously a joke, it did still signal to viewers that a sequel isn’t a priority for the creators, nor was it something they were actively promoting during the appearance.
The sucess of seasons 33-36 is not something to take for granted, and the show’s creators are right to capitalize on this success by focusing on the show instead of a sequel to the movie.
This is arguably a good thing sinceThe Simpsonsis currently enjoying its best critical reception in years. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 15 finaledid win the Paul Selvin Award in 2004, the broader critical reception of the series has suffered since as early as season 9. As such, the success of seasons 33-36 is not something to take for granted, and the show’s creators are right to capitalize on this success by focusing on the show instead of a sequel to the movie.
What The Simpsons Movie 2 Can Be About
The Simpsons Movie’s Sequel Could Tell An Entirely Original Story
IfThe Simpsons Movie 2does happen, the show could tell almost any story in the long-awaited sequel.The Simpsons Moviewisely moved the eponymous family out of Springfield and then threatened the town’s survival, meaning the destruction of the iconic setting was the stakes of the movie’s finale and the family’s return home shaped its story. However,The Simpsonsseason 36’s darker episodesprove that the show has gotten stranger and more surreal since 2007. This means that the show’s creators could now tell a bigger story with fewer narrative limitations in a sequel.
Various episodes ofThe Simpsonsseason 36 included a flashforward where Bart and Lisa inadvertently caused the end of the world, an ending where Marge seemingly went blind, and a finale where she died before Homer in the future. Despite all of these show-shaking events, each new episode began by resetting the status quo and returning to normality. As such,The Simpsons Movie 2can tell almost any story and focus on almost any character, since the show has established a tradition of episodes that feature bizarre digressions and unexpected twists.
It is unlikely thatThe Simpsons Movie 2would bring backThe Simpsons’ most controversial character Apuor follow through on the fan demand for a story featuring Hank Scorpio as a James Bond-esque villain. However, crucially, even both of these unlikely plots are possible thanks to the show’s ever-shifting canon. As such, fans ofThe Simpsonscan look forward to a truly unpredictable plot fromThe Simpsons Movie 2, but they will also have a hard time predicting when the movie will enter production.
