Futuramacharacters are reimagined in hyper-realistic form in a new batch of AI images. Created by Matt Groening, the hit animated sitcom first aired in 1999, chronicling the misadventures of Philip J. Fry (Billy West), a pizza delivery boy who is accidentally frozen in 1999 before waking up in the very different world of 2999.Futuramarecently returned for season 12on Hulu, bringing the show’s animated world back to life, as well as characters like Bender (John DiMaggio), Leela (Katey Sagal), Zoidberg (Billy West), Hermes Conad (Phil LaMarr), and Professor Farnsworth (West), among others.
Now,@mishima9505imagines what the core characters ofFuturamawould look like in the realm of live-action. The carousel of images features hyper-real versions of characters Zapp Brannigan, Zoidberg, Kif Kroker, and Hermes. Zoidberg, in particular, becomes a much scarier figure upon leaving the world of animation. Check out the AI-generated images below:
What Live-Action Would Mean For Futurama
Which Characters Would Struggle With A Change In Medium
Thus far,Futuramaseasons have kept the show firmly in the realm of animation, which is in keeping with Groening’s other work in the sitcom space. As seen in the images above, making the jump to live-action would be a major change forFuturama, and one that would give the entire enterprise a very different flavor. While key figures like Fry, Farnsworth, Leela, and Bender aren’t shown in the images,Zoidberg and Kif’s appearance changes make the characters more unsettling.
Groening also createdThe Simpsons, which is gearing up for the premiere of season 36 later this month.
Dr. Zoidberg Is the Greatest Hero In the Futurama Universe
Doctor Zoidberg is often maligned on Futurama by his colleagues, but 2007’s Futurama Comics #32 briefly saw him become the universe’s greatest hero.
Others in theFuturamacast of characters, however, like Hermes and Zapp, look much more like their animated counterparts. If human figures like Fry and Farnsworth followed this same trend, they would likely look very similar as well. Leela, with her one eye, though, could end up closer to the Zoidberg end of the spectrum, which could alter the nature of the Fry and Leela dynamic.
Our Take On The Possibility Of A Live-Action Futurama
Why It’s Best Left In Animation
As withThe Simpsons,the animation inFuturamais a big part of its charm and humor, and the show could lose some of its appeal by leaving this behind. What’s more, the 2999 setting of the show would be prohibitively expensive to convincingly pull off in any other medium. While it would be interesting to seeFuturamain live-action, it’s probably for the best that it remains in the world of animation.
Futurama
Cast
Futurama is an animated science fiction series that follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from late-20th-century New York City. He is accidentally cryogenically frozen for a thousand years and becomes an employee at Planet Express, a delivery service in the retro-futuristic 31st century.
