In a recent conference call, Al Jean spoke about what we can expect to see from both season 20 of The Simpsons and the show’s future in general. Jean spoke about the possible return of Plopper the Pig from The Simpsons Movie, writing for the character of Ned Flanders, another Simpsons movie which may be in the works, The Simpsons Ride and even the possibility of the Simpson kids ever growing up. Read our summary of the entire call below.

On Plopper, the Spider Pig

• Spider pig might be coming back! But he was definitely made for the movie. Plopper might show up in the show for a cameo.

On science fiction spoofs

• In March, Homer, while buying poison to kill some rats (they look like Ratatouille), leaves Maggie on a convent porch, turning the episode into a Da Vinci and National Treasure spoof. 3D Homer again? Perhaps.

On going into Season 20

• Yes, we do keep track of other shows and how long they’ve gone. After season 20, there will be more than 500 episodes in the can.

A Simpsons spin-off?

• Yes, there has been talk of it, but it would be very difficult to attempt to do both and still concentrate on the show. We like the big universe of the show as it exists.

On Ned Flanders

• We love to write for him because he’s so much fun. In an upcoming episode where the Simpson’s house gets foreclosed, Ned buys it and rents it back to them.

On another Simpsons movie

• Will there be a follow-up? Perhaps if there was a good script, but the first one took four years. My preference would be that it would air after the series itself has finished, of which there are no plans any time soon.

On other animated shows

• Other cartoons have followed the Simpsons – does Family Guy appeal to the lowest common denominator? How does The Simpsons rise above that?
• From the beginning, Sam Simon said we would write a show for adults, as smart and as connected with human emotion as possible. It’s the golden age for TV animation right now. We’re outrageous, but we’ve tried from the beginning to intelligently depict family challenges.

Are there “phases” of the show?

• Not really, we’ve won a ton of awards lately, but there are no eras, we just try to keep the show’s standard as high as possible.

Upcoming guest stars

• The Simpsons go to Ireland. Homer and Grandpa go to a bar and attempt to purchase it. Kenneth Branagh will have a cameo as the pub owner.

On the Simpsons ride

• Simpsons ride in Orlando and Hollywood exceeded expectations; longest wait time for any ride at Universal, lots of writers worked on those rides.

Will the Simpson kids ever grow up?

• Will the kids ever grow up? While the Simpson kids should have become teenagers long ago, in terms as the basic template for the show, no.

Source: Stewie’s Playground

This is the box art for The Simpsons Movie DVD, also available on Blu-Ray. It is available in the USA on December 18, UK on December 10, and Australia on December 5.

SOURCE: Amazon

TVShowsOnDVD.com have been given some exclusive details about the upcoming Simpsons Movie DVD. The 87-minute big-screen feature will be available in both Widescreen and Fullscreen versions on December 18th, just in time for Christmas. Extras including an Animators and Producers commentary, plus deleted scenes and promos will be available on the disc which should retail for about $29.98. Further details can be found at TvShowsOnDVD.

SOURCE: TVShowsOnDVD

The “Simpsons” copy was found before the film’s U.S. release July 27 and tracked back to a computer in western Sydney. AFACT alleges that the man arrested used his cell phone to film the movie at a cinema in western Sydney before uploading it on the Internet. Close international cooperation between the Australian Federal Police, AFACT and 20th Century Fox resulted in the removal of the unauthorized recording within 72 hours of its posting. But during that window the movie was uploaded to a U.S.-based global streaming site where it was viewed or downloaded more than 3,000 times.

AFACT additionally tracked it to other streaming sites and P2P systems where it had been illegally downloaded in excess of 110,000 times. Investigators even found a version of the film dubbed in French. Copies of “The Simpsons Movie” already are widely available on the street in China, though it is unclear if the Chinese copies came from the Australian upload.

SOURCE: Hollywood Reporter

“Homer’s odyssey paid off,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers. The film, which featured the antics of yellow-hued Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and a host of motley characters, grossed an average of $18,320 on 3,922 screens across the country and also opened strongly in 70 foreign markets.

“We are ecstatic,” said Chris Aronson, senior vice president for distribution at 20th Century Fox. “It far exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations.” The hand-drawn movie had the fifth best opening weekend of the year, beating such notable contenders as “Transformers,” from Paramount, “Ghost Rider,” from Sony Pictures and the computer-animated “Ratatouille,” from The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios.

SOURCE: Forbes

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The Simpsons Movie has hit movie screens around the world, and audiences have already started to lap up their piece of Simpsons history. The movie is screening in United Kingdom, Australia, and much of Europe as of today, while audiences in North America and the rest of the world will have to wait until Friday.

Simpsons Channel has been lucky enough to have seen the movie and can confirm that if you’ve been excited by what you’ve seen from the previews, the movie will not disappoint! And a tip to viewers: don’t leave that theater until the Gracie Films logo appears! Please use this discussion board to post your reviews and comments about the movie, and readers, be wary of potential spoilers from the reviewers.

SOURCE: Post Your Reviews Here!

SOURCE: Youtube

SOURCE: USA Today

There’s nothing really noteworthy here. But the eleven emails telling me to post it tells me you guys want it. Here’s the latest Simpsons TV spot which is appearing for US residents at myspace.com.

SOURCE: Myspace

Voting has begun today on USA Today’s website as to which of several Springfields will host the premiere of The Simpsons Movie later this month. Fourteen cities and towns named Springfield around the USA are vying for the honor. Videos promoting their candidacies can be viewed in streaming format on the USA Today site and you as a visitor are able to vote for your favorite. Choose the best or choose your home town, it’s up to you! Voting closes July 9.

SOURCE: USA Today