The other day, Billy 'Fry' West posted on his message board that he got a call, saying that production for up to four Futurama DVD movies will start around July or August:

[The] Futurama project is a done deal! [...] There are 4 DVD movies that we'll start recording at the end of July or August. Full feature length FUTURAMA movies. Everybody is excited to get back together--as I am!

Into the Future,
Billy

We tried to verify this post with sources close to the show and ... didn't get a denial. That's way more than what we got before!

Since FOX didn't go public about this yet, there might of course be last minute reversals. Expect more info here soon.

In context of our last update: This is purely about DVDs for now. Peter Liguori and the FBC are responsible for the TV part of FOX.

An article on The Futon Critic has a longer interview with Peter Liguori, who took over the position of president of the broadcasting arm at FOX (FBC) from Gail Berman in 2005. While at the TCA Winter Press Tour, he talked some about the prospects of Futurama coming back to life at his division:

In terms of "Futurama" -- there's no doubt that the "Family Guy" model worked outstandingly. It's great to be a network exec and have a decision made for you by an audience. In terms of "Futurama," there haven't really been any active negotiations at this point. But I'd be an ostrich to just stick my head in the dirt and not realize what's going on with "Futurama" as well.

Not a yes, and not a no for Futurama on TV, but at least he remembers the show with some positive feelings.

Somehow this article slipped through my radar (or I just didn't check my emails for a month - hint hint, put "Futurama" in the title of your email and I'll read it quicker) but Matt Groening and David X. Cohen were interviewed last month by an Australian magazine that has some really great quotes from them. But to sum it up, they're very hopeful for the return of Futurama! Here's a tidbit:

"Three months ago, I would have said we were going to start tomorrow," says writer David X. Cohen, who collaborated with Groening on Futurama. "And one month ago I would also have said we were going to start tomorrow. So ..." He pauses. "My current estimate is that we're starting tomorrow."

There you have it people, Futurama's new production will start tomorrow No but seriously, it's not starting tomorrow. But we can hope it will start soon. If you'd like to read the entire article, click on over to Off the Planet - TV & Radio.

-Edit: Don't jump to the highest cloud with joy yet, though. Futurama has NOT been signed for production yet.

Kangaroo-watchers
News from way over in Kangeroo-land: Ausie fan Beckie has told me that a channel in her country is showing Futurama twice a week (Wed & Fri) after the Simpsons at 8PM. Not bad, eh? UPDATE: The Sydney Morning herald reports: "The surprise hit is Futurama [...] Averaging a million viewers, it has become the program most watched by people aged 16-39."

Futurama Comics #24
Things From Another World currently have available for pre-order Futurama Comics #24 for $2.69. The issue will get released March 22nd. While you're on the site, be sure to notice the good deals regarding their Futurama Pop-Out People and Leela Bendy figure, which are 50 and 60% off retail price. Not bad, not bad at all.

In the tradition of Futurama's annual 'Anthology of Interest' episodes, Bongo Comics presents an issue of inquisitive inquiries and questionable queries that will boggle the mind and flummox the brain when Professor Farnsworth's What If Machine reveals the alternate pasts, presents, and futures of the Planet Express crew. Witness the Santa Robot's reign of terror when we dare answer the question 'What if it was X-mas every day?' Then experience Fry's life from another point of view when he poses the question, 'What if my life was more like a sit-com?'

A new article in the magazine "Variety" called "Inside Move: 'Futurama' may get new lease on life" echoed basically what we've been saying in May last year.

Talks have begun at 20th Century Fox TV to revive the animated skeinskein, which takes place in the next millennium, much in the same way "Family Guy""Family Guy" found new life after cancellation.

The studio is in early discussions to put "Futurama" back in production and create a limited number of episodes of the Emmy Award-winning skein -- although it's too soon to tell where those segs might end up. A reprep for 20th Century Fox TV declined comment.

The story got mirrored in a number of general news sites. Of course, Variety is usually very close to the sources, so there was a chance that a change to the status of Futurama had happened. However, this is only the case in a very limited way. The talk is still about the DVDs (not TV, for all we know) and it is still ongoing. The slight difference is that our sources at the top of the show's team tell us that they think there will be some sort of result soon. They seem to be carefully optimistic, but nothing is set in stone yet.