After years of speculation, Springfield’s most famous family is officially making a comeback to theaters. Disney and 20th Century Studios have confirmed that a sequel to “The Simpsons Movie” is in the works, but the announcement comes with an unexpected twist that makes an 18-year-old joke from the show funnier than ever. Even as one of the most influential series in television history, “The Simpsons” has seen its relevance in pop culture conversations fade in recent years. However, the newly announced film has put the iconic yellow family back in the spotlight.
An Old Joke Becomes Reality
For years, rumors have circulated that a new movie project was secretly developing at Disney and 20th Century Studios. Now, the official confirmation is here: the sequel to “The Simpsons Movie” is slated to hit U.S. theaters on July 23, 2027. Eagle-eyed fans immediately noticed that this release date brings a classic gag from the series to life.
To understand the joke, we have to go back to September 2007. The premiere of the 19th season was the first episode to air after the original movie’s release on July 27, 2007. In the opening sequence, the long-running show poked fun at the fact that it took nearly two decades to produce a feature film. During the famous chalkboard gag, Bart wrote:
“I will not wait 20 years to make another movie.”
At the time, the line was seen as a witty, tongue-in-cheek moment. Given that the first film was a massive box office success, grossing over $536 million worldwide on a $75 million budget and earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature, no one in Hollywood likely thought Bart’s promise would be broken.
Homer’s Coming Back for Seconds
As many fans have pointed out, the show is now doing exactly what it joked about. By the time the sequel arrives in theaters, it will have been almost exactly 20 years. To be precise, the Simpsons will deliver their second big-screen adventure just four days before the 20-year deadline expires. This is a development that almost no one would have predicted back in 2007.
The studios announced the news on Instagram with a simple but effective teaser: a yellow hand reaching for a donut with sprinkles forming the number “2,” accompanied by the tagline, “Homer’s coming back for seconds.” This accidental prophecy is perfectly on-brand for “The Simpsons,” which has famously—and often coincidentally—predicted major world events, from Donald Trump’s presidency to Disney’s acquisition of Fox. It’s only fitting that the show would finally predict the fate of its own franchise.
Plot Details and a Shift in Scheduling
While the plot of the first film saw Homer pollute Springfield’s lake, leading to the entire town being encased in a giant glass dome and the family escaping to Alaska, producers are keeping the story for the new movie completely under wraps.
In an interesting scheduling move, industry outlets like “Deadline” and “Variety” report that the “Simpsons” sequel is taking a release slot that was originally reserved for a Marvel film. That Marvel project has now been removed from the schedule entirely. The five-member family from Springfield—parents Marge and Homer, and their children Bart, Lisa, and Maggie—has remained a cultural phenomenon for decades, with the series now in its 36th season.