The 4 Futurama Movies News Thread

[Reply #480 on:]

More to come?

 http://www.futurama-madhouse.com.ar/

If that is the truth, I hope the DVD consists of an entire new season or even four new episodes, not just this one story.

[Reply #481 on:]

Oh, the fun they must be having!

[Reply #482 on:]

So, wait- does this mean that we're getting another season of Futurama after the four DVDS?

[Reply #483 on:]

*pokes head in* What? Seriously? I heard the words "another season"....

[Reply #484 on:]

...They're talking about the massive Leela/Amy fancomic, right?

Somehow I doubt that would ever be seriously considered for a Futurama DVD, despite the absurd amount of fanservice it contained.           

ETA: This is the original author's note from Erik Heltner.  Notably, in the last paragraph he says, "I guess most fans would expect a Futurama graphic novel to be about some overblown, crazy, epic space adventure story (pretty much like Bender's Big Score), but that's not my idea of a graphic novel.  Let's leave it to David X. Cohen and his henchmen to come up with traditional Futurama stories like that, while we, the fans, explore the Futurama universe beyond our wildest imagination." 

I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually a cartoonist, or to learn that he does, indeed, work for Bongo (some of his concept art is pretty damn good), but I think this whole DVD thing is just a huge running joke that started when another fan submitted a DVD cover featuring the comic as the "5th movie".  If I'm wrong, then I'm fully prepared to consume a large serving of crow.

[Reply #485 on:]

We're talking about the newest story, which is related to the graphic novel:

"It was either here or the Fan Fiction section and here was easier. I'll let him tell it in his own words: "All right, all right, you've revealed us! The graphic novel I sent to you is originally, as you so brilliantly put it, "a trial balloon being floated to test fan reaction". In July 2006 I was contacted by Bill Morrison through a syndication agency. He told me about the job, and since my career had been going down the hill for a while, I seized the opportunity (why they decided to use a Danish artist is beyond my knowledge). The script had already been made by David X. Cohen and Ken Keeler. However, they were afraid that fans might find it too controversial, so they agreed to post the story as a fan-comic on one of the big Futurama fan-sites  in order to test the fans' reactions. Luckily, the test surpassed all expectations, and the feature cartoon has recently been put into production and is scheduled to be released on DVD in the winter of 2009.

While making the story, a lot of drawings were made. After all, I had to learn how to draw the characters, the layout for the pages had to be made, and new characters had to be designed. Some of these drawings were originally supposed to be part of the bonus material on the new DVD. But since you've already revealed us, I guess I might as well show them to you right now.

Like I said, first of all I had to learn how to draw the characters. Characterstudies1 is my very first attempt to do that. All three characters were drawn entirely from memory. When I made Characterstudies2, 3 and 4, I hadn't read the script yet. I had only heard bits and pieces about what the story was about from Bill Morrison. However, that didn't stop me from using a few of the drawings in the graphic novel. As you'd expect, the characters are a bit off-model. Especially Amy. Her hairdo was quite difficult to draw correctly. The fact that I didn't have any model sheet to work from only made things worse (It's stupid! Amy is one of the primary main characters in the story, and they didn't even bother to send me a model sheet of her). Characterstudies5 shows the stage where I had finally gotten used to drawing the characters correctly. Once you reach that stage, you can begin to experiment with the character design. Characterstudies6 is an example of that.

A few new characters were designed specifically for this story. That includes the doctorbot who examines Fry, the gay guy who makes passes at Fry, and of course Leela's landlord Mrs. Muggins (which is originally the name of Peter Parker's landlord in "Spider-man - The saga of the alien costume" ). All character designs were drawn by Bill Morrison.

Before I could draw the cover and splashpage, I made a few rough layouts. These were later sent to Bill Morrison for approval. Last, but not least, I've included a clean-penciled version of one of my favorite scenes from the story.

Erik Heltner, Cartoonist

P.S: The name "Erik Heltner" is a pseudonym. My real name is known by Bongo comics and Rough Draft Studios."

[Reply #486 on:]

I saw that news story, and I'm still not convinced this isn't some sort of joke.  If this had come from mArc's "secret source," that would be a different story, but....   

I read the comic, and while I thought the art was pretty good (on par with most of the official comics, IMO), the writing and characterization left a lot to be desired.  Leela's excuse for ending the relationship seemed contrived at best, reintroducing Bender's addiction to electricity felt like a forced, rehashed subplot, and Fry just didn't come off as very interesting at all.  It was a brilliant effort; a lot of the jokes were right on the mark and I'm glad someone attempted to tackle the controversial relationship, but it just didn't feel like a Futurama episode.

The latest newspost doesn't do much to convince me otherwise.  In fact, this is the passage that bugs me the most:

 

The script had already been made by David X. Cohen and Ken Keeler. However, they were afraid that fans might find it too controversial, so they agreed to post the story as a fan-comic on one of the big Futurama fan-sites in order to test the fans' reactions.

Yes, TFM is one of the biggest Futurama fansites on the internet right now, but until this point, DXC has been sending all of his movie information to CGEF (and seemingly ignoring TFM entirely).  Why would he suddenly change sites?

[Reply #487 on:]

I don't know if this thread is appropriate or if we should open another dedicated to this subject?  I sent e-mail to the author of the Graphic Novel in question on Jan. 14 and recieved a response the next day.  I'll be glad to post them and share them.  I'm going to take a chance and start a new thread dedicated to this subject.  If the mods or -mArc- feels it's inappropriate, they can always close it and I won't get upset.

Go to the new and probably soon to be closed thread when this thing has been declared a 'work' (hoax).

FUTURAMA MEETS BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

[Reply #488 on:]

Let me make sure I have this right...

Obscure web comic claims that a super-secret fifth Futurama movie is being made featuring an out-of-character lesbian relationship between Leela and Amy, all on the basis of a few positive comments on the web about the comic.  The claims directly contradict countless interviews with DXC and Groening about the status and plans for the series, but hey, that's why it's secret!

Um, OK.  I'm guess now is the time for me to confess that my secret source tells me the even more secret sixth movie will address the controversial "robosexual" aspect of the show.

[Reply #489 on:]

Can there only be one secret source?

[Reply #490 on:]

 

Originally posted by Archonix:
Can there only be one secret source?

No, but I would have expected DXC, or Groening, or even Keeler, to have come out at some point and say "oh, by the way, there's a 5th movie."  I also would have expected more than Erik's signature to appear at the end of that comic if this was, indeed, a collaborative effort (if he's using a fake name, why couldn't the actual writers have done the same?).  I think JN's right: this contradicts everything we've been told, and given how little we know about the third and fourth movie, it doesn't make sense that they'd spontaneously reveal a majority of the story for the fifth movie, for FREE, in a "fan-made comic."

[Reply #491 on:]

It's all about probabilities, really, but then the update did say that it specifically was designed to test fan reaction. I'd say it's doing that job rather well.

 

[Reply #492 on:]

That Erik guy needs to spend a bit less time on the Leela/Amy lesbian porn and a little more time getting Fry's nose and lip drawn correctly...

[Reply #493 on:]

Nice, Zmithy.

So this graphic novel is testing how fans react to homosexuality in Futurama?

[Reply #494 on:]

Well, technically it'd be testing the reaction to lesbianism rather than homosexuality as a whole.

Ten bucks says Erik wouldn't be so hot about doing a Hermes/Professor slashfic. :P


"Tally me banana!"

"Oh my..."   

Seriously though, one of the things that makes Futurama great is the huge amount of nudity from characters that no-one wants to see naked.

[Reply #495 on:]

 

Originally posted by JustNibblin':
Let me make sure I have this right...

Obscure web comic claims that a super-secret fifth Futurama movie is being made featuring an out-of-character lesbian relationship between Leela and Amy, all on the basis of a few positive comments on the web about the comic.  The claims directly contradict countless interviews with DXC and Groening about the status and plans for the series, but hey, that's why it's secret!

Right. This has got to be just some kind of publicity stunt for this comic. Why would information like this suddenly be being revealed?

[Reply #496 on:]

Not sure the production staff would job out overseas a script on a "scab" basis right now.

[Reply #497 on:]

This is pure bs. In reality they will wait until all four movies are released and see how well they have all sold before making any desicions on the future of Futurama. If they decide it is popular enough they will either make a theatrical movie or a proper season of TV episodes...

[Reply #498 on:]

Agreed. It makes no sense. All of the news that I've seen that has been accuarte has come from CGEF now all of the sudden TLZ is claiming they have this 5th movie coming out and even though we know basically nothing about the 3&4th films the majority of the plot for one that we've never even heard of has been revealed? HOAX, HOAX, HOAX!!!

[Reply #499 on:]

Really guys? Really?

[Reply #500 on:]

Additionally, if you read the TLZ update carefully, you can see it's somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Granted this is clearer in the Jan. 31 update than in the Feb. 3 one, but one giveaway is when the artist says something like "I guess I'll just reveal them now..."

[Reply #501 on:]

Smell's like a rotting marlin to me.

[Reply #502 on:]

 

Originally posted by Frisco17:
Smell's like a rotting marlin to me.

[Zoidberg looks up sharply] "What's this? Two meals in one week...?" 

[Reply #503 on:]

Ralph, you would not have wanted to see L&A Confidential as the series finale, right?  I assume not, with the way it leaves Fry stuck hoping and striving to win the heart of a non-committal Leela...again!  Still, it is an enjoyable work and I'd have bought a DVD based on it.
PS: Thanks for the email.  I replied but it bounced back.

[Reply #504 on:]

Ah, the wonders of Comcast.  Bouced e-mails are a thing of life with them.  If you haven't deleted the bounced e-mail, please forward it to my hotmail account so i can tell the tech support guy at comcast that e-mails di indeed bounce:

eleanor_999@hotmail.com

As for the story - yes, the ending of the comic hit the RESET button at the end.  And yes, it left Leela being as flaky as ever.

[Reply #505 on:]

[Raoul]Everything always does.[/Raoul]

[Reply #506 on:]

Yeah, I think it's all pure gossip that TLZ has started because that is what they do- start gossip and buy pictures of stars being harrassed to the point of illegality.  This news seems to be much tantalizing ado about nothing.    I mean about the fifth movie with the Leela/Amy thing.

[Reply #507 on:]

 

Originally posted by HYPNoBRECKY:
... I think it's all pure gossip that TLZ has started because that is what they do- start gossip and buy pictures of stars being harrassed to the point of illegality...

Sounds more like something TMZ, would do than TLZ. 

[Reply #508 on:]

Funny joke.
Funnier is the fact that some people actually thought it might be serious.

[Reply #509 on:]

 

Originally posted by SpaceCase:
Sounds more like something TMZ, would do than TLZ.   

I can totally see the TLZ guys on mopeds trying to photograph Britney Spears' latest car/child escapade...

[Reply #510 on:]

 

Originally posted by Smitty:
I can totally see the TLZ guys on mopeds trying to photograph Britney Spears' latest car/child escapade...

Oh my, no.
MG, DXC, or anyone responsible for the show would be interesting to Futurama fans.
Btitney Spears? Not flamin likely.
Not unless she's done anything for the sho- hey...

[Reply #511 on:]

 

Originally posted by Smitty:

 I can totally see the TLZ guys on mopeds trying to photograph Britney Spears' latest car/child escapade...

Hopefully you mean TMZ. 

TLZ aka FM aka Futurama-Madhouse/The Leela Zone is the oldest living Futurama fan site.  In absolutely no way do I mean to undermine CGEF and PEEL - all sites have their merits.  CGEF has -mArc- as the Administrator who has some sort of contact with DXC and gives us mere mortals info about the DVD's and other Futurama related stuff. 

PEEL is the child of CGEF - a messagebord of freaks and geeks - most of us who have more than a year on this board tend to view other members as friends they've never met (except for the PEELathon gang).  I know that I've shared e-mails with Velour, Kryten, Coldangel, Spacecase and many other members.  Some I consider close friends I've never met but hope to meet one day.

FM/TLZ is a little different - there are a great number of very good fan fics and fan art there.  Leandro has made the site very easy to maneuver around.  He also has e-cards and other goodies.  I'm a member of FM/TLZ's messageboard but I don't go there much - it seems to be a very much younger crowd and I haven't connected with them as well as I have to the PEEL gang.  That said, there are some killer fanfics in the making on their messageboard.

So just because Tim, Immortal, an unknown arthor who made a 55 page graphic novel (which was fantastic in a lot of ways) decide to play a prank.  The "5th" DVD was so obviously a joke that Tim didn't think twice about putting in the News section.  I helped things along by starting two threads dedicated to the prank.

That said, I have a lot of respect for FM/TLZ and even more for Leandro Pardini, the Administrator of the site.  That site is Leandro's baby and he loves it; he would never use the site to belittle or defame Futurama in any way.  Most people don't remember two years ago the site almost died.  Leandro ran into some very severe finacial times - severe enough that he had to sell his beloved Futurama Calendar collection on ebay.

The future for FM/TLZ looked bleak - he kept the site up but had to resort to asking for financial help.  He set up a paypal account so people could donate a few bucks to keep the site going for another year.  I was one of the larger donors to the site.  I'll let it be known now, and Leandro can confirm this:  I offered to bankroll the site for one year - paid in advance.  I didn't want any acknowledgement on the site nor did I want to be a moderator, I just wanted the site to survive.

I'm saying this only because I know how much time and work Graham, Tim, Teral, Kif and Leandro (and others that I forgot to mention) put into that site and restoring it - twice - after the move to another server.

So I won't let anybody belittle the site or think of it as a second-class site.  The gang that run it and keep it going are just as dedicated as -mArc- and the mods here.  FM/TLZ deserves the same amount of respect and kind words as PEEL or CGEF.

Ralph 'tired and going to sleep' Snart

[Reply #512 on:]

The movie won an Annie.    Congratulations to the cast and crew!

[Reply #513 on:]

YAAAY!

And to another result, NOOOO! 

[Reply #514 on:]

I wish they who started the joke would make good and put a disclaimer out on their "joke" so people would be spared from feeling stupid if they had even considered the information worth considering "credible". Its the only way to recover some of their credibility by identifying the joke as a joke. 
I hate researching a subject and be presented with information that is fake in sheep's clothing.  The next time I run across the same source offering "facts", that's how I look at that source-  I'll have to spend time measuring how accurate the fact in question is truly factual.

Life goes on and such...                                     

A prank is a prank, but if it goes on too long it becomes something entirely different-maybe a cruel joke.  But, then what do I know, really?  I'm just one bipedal hominid.                     

Thank-you, Ralph Snart, for setting the record straight on the circumstances of the joke on us about the 5th movie.             
 
Smitty,I wanna moped!!                I got a motorcycle, but a moped is funnier!!             

I'm glad Benders Big Score won the best in the Best Home Entertainment Movie Division, Officer 1BDI!  It's a smart movie made by smart people full of smart humor for some smart fans,etcetra!!         

Wait, Smitty, didn't you see You Tube????  "Leave Britney ALONE........she's not well!!"           You got to admire that one fellow's devotion to Britney.  I hope he got rich off of that video of his!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FAuJod1XmY

Hmm... I looked on this site http://www.slurmed.com/?p=returns/movies   And it also lists Beast With A Billion Backs as coming out on March 18, 2008. It also lists all four movies as being released in 2008... hmmmmm.... makes one think they're all coming out in 2008.... hmmmm....

I like that preview of Beast With a Billion Backs...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1p2ibmhTZ4   It is entertaining, you bet!!

[Reply #515 on:]

Wooooo congrats on the Annie! Hopefully the other movie will win stuff too eventually!...

As for BWABB coming out on March 18, it's not gonna happen. Way too soon without any real info. No cover art, no extras list etc. April/May, thinking probably May at this point but we'll see...

[Reply #516 on:]

 

Originally posted by HYPNoBRECKY:
I wish they who started the joke would make good and put a disclaimer out on their "joke" so people would be spared from feeling stupid if they had even considered the information worth considering "credible". Its the only way to recover some of their credibility by identifying the joke as a joke.

I second that.. some people thought this "joke" was hilarious. 
Me? I thought it was funny... funny as a heart attack. 

[Reply #517 on:]

Well, Otis P Jivefunk,  until I see a hard article or video from a credible source about replacing old information with new info-I feel confident it's on for March, 2008.  Anything I've read seems to say the same thing.  Corroborating each other in a way.              

I'm with you, Corvus.  That's right.  You got it, BABY      

I like your signature, Corvus.  It's got that "Grasshopper" feel to it.   

[Reply #518 on:]

 

Originally posted by HYPNoBRECKY:
Well, Otis P Jivefunk,  until I see a hard article or video from a credible source about replacing old information with new info-I feel confident it's on for March, 2008.

That logic is retarded... no wonder you believed the 5th movie thing...

On-topic is a strange place...

[Reply #519 on:]

If you look up the thread further, you will see that I never subscribed to the whole 5th movie thing, chay's head, REALLY- look up a bit on the thread.  It might be hard to look up when you don't have a neck.         

The old with the new that I was talking to the other fellow about was the information I read about when the next movie is coming out, bodiless dude- chay's head.         

And what if I am "retarded" as you say, with an I.Q. of 4, getting along in a smart world- wouldn't you feel bad for not using the politically correct term for my condition- addled.           Or maybe the more politically correct term to show respect for someone with the condition- mentally challenged.        There are some really wonderful people who are mentally challenged individuals.     

This whole thread is news about the 4 movies- not the mythical 5th that you refer to, chay's head.     

(So, I apologize if this came off sounding way too harsh.  It was supposed to be in a "jokey," "hambone," tone.  Now that I look this over- I'd have to say, "my bad." )