The five biggest changes to ‘The Simpsons’ since the first movie
In 2007, The Simpsons did what all good TV sitcoms worth their salt do and made a film.
The Simpsons Movie saw Homer and co take on their wildest adventure yet, as a massive glass dome was placed over Springfield. Strong box office takings were matched by equally impressive reviews, with many critics announcing that this was the strongest material the flagging series had produced in quite some time.
Fans were then left wondering if all this success would lead to a second film, but just when it looked like that dream was over, news broke that The Simpsons Movie 2 was in the pipeline. Just as the first movie was released two decades after the family first premiered on The Tracey Ullman Show, this sequel is coming out almost exactly 20 years after its predecessor, and nobody is quite sure why anymore, but that’s besides the point. A lot had changed in that first span, but even more has happened in the world of The Simpsons since they last took themselves to the big screen.
Listing some of these big touchstones, fingers remain crossed that these changes result in a perfectly “cromulent” release come 2027, instead of one that leaves the audience saying “D’oh!”
Five big turns in The Simpsons universe:
The deaths of cast members
The Simpsons has been on the air for a very long time, such that it has outlived several of the people who made it big in the first place. In 2013, Marcia Wallace, who had voiced Edna Krabappel since the very beginning of the show, playing a pivotal role as Bart’s de facto nemesis, passed away after a combination of health issues.
Knowing they could never replace her, the show retired Mrs K out of respect to the fallen star. Then, in 2019, Russi Taylor died from colon cancer, bringing the longest-serving voice of Minnie Mouse, as well as a number of key supporting characters on The Simpsons, including Martin Prince, Üter, and Sherri and Terri, to a pause.
It’s not just on-mic talent who have passed since the last film. Original producer Sam Simon and long-time composer Alf Clausen died in 2015 and 2025, respectively. Combine this with the number of voice actors who have retired from the show too, and you’re looking at something of a Ship of Theseus; who knows how many other central figures will have walked away by the time they start working on the upcoming film.
Julie Kavner’s voice
Even the performers who haven’t moved on from the show in one way or another aren’t immune to the passage of time. People’s voices change as they get old, as the strain of constantly talking for a living takes its toll on their larynx. The biggest casualty of this is poor Julie Kavner, who has been the characteristic gravelly voice for the blue-haired matriarch Marge for the better part of 40 years. Now, however, it’s getting to the point where it’s hard to pay attention to anything Marge says.
Marge plays a huge part in the first Simpsons movie, with the actor delivering arguably her best performance as Homer’s long-suffering spouse. It’s hard to imagine her being able to have the same impact now, especially among any lapsed fans who remember what she used to sound like. It’s not just Kavner who sounds like an entirely different person these days, her voice having deteriorated to such a state that it sounds like she’s genuinely in pain performing; Harry Shearer’s performances as both Mr Burns and Smithers are also tough to get through.
‘The Problem with Apu’
In 2017, American comedian Hari Kondabolu of Indian descent picked apart the negative stereotypes that the beloved Simpsons character Apu helped perpetuate in the documentary The Problem with Apu. He and other American-Indians spoke of the bullying they faced due to Apu’s popularity. It didn’t help that Hank Azaria, the white actor who was the voice of the Kwik-E-Mart clerk, refused to be a part of the film. After a highly publicised debate about the future of the character, Apu was quietly retired later that year.
As discussions surrounding the ‘authenticity’ of characters in film and TV began to intensify throughout the 2010s, The Simpsons found themselves once again having to recast in hot water, where several Black characters, previously voiced by white actors, such as Dr Hibbert, Carl, Officer Lou, were relegated to more appropriate performers. It’s great that a show on this scale has championed such a worthwhile cause, but for better or worse, some long-term viewers have found it difficult to adjust to new versions of beloved staples.
The return of Matt Selman
A lot of these entries so far have highlighted what The Simpsons has lost since the release of its first film; however, it’s not all been ‘take take take’. In 2019, former writer Matt Selman came back on board as a co-showrunner, having unofficially run a handful of episodes over the past few seasons, for a significant change at the top of the series’ hierarchy. In the early seasons, the show did a great job regularly rotating those in charge, but after season 12, when Al Jean took over and stayed in the position for 20 years, things changed.
This breath of fresh air did wonders for the show, which had been stagnant for a very long time. Selman’s return coincided with a perceived increase in quality, yet the show was still way, way off the pace of its glory days. The writer had been behind some of the show’s best episodes of the late 1990s, including the fan favourite format-bender ‘Behind the Laughter’. He was rewarded for his efforts by being made sole showrunner in 2024, so expect his fingerprints all over the second movie.
Moving to Disney
Without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest thing to happen to The Simpsons since 2007, and probably in its entire history, was its acquisition by Disney. When the ‘House of Mouse’ bought 21st Century Fox in 2019, they quickly made TV’s favourite family a prominent jewel in their crown. Simpsons branding was all over the company’s output, with the show and its never-ending catalogue of episodes being a primary selling point of their streaming service. It’s probably fair to say that, without Disney backing, there may not be a Simpsons Movie 2.
Long before they were part of the same happy, corporate family, The Simpsons always had an interesting relationship with ‘Big Walt’. Dozens of Disney movies have been parodied on the show, with ‘Itchy & Scratchy’ often acting as a stand-in for some of the studio’s most famous characters. They’ve taken shots at their history, their business practices, and even their theme parks over the years. The first movie has a scene where Bart calls Mickey Mouse “the mascot of an evil corporation” is about as direct as you can get.
Will Disney’s infinite money pool lead to an outstanding sequel? Or will its tight censorship limit what the writers can do? Only time will tell.
