Fox is locking in its animated cornerstones for the remainder of the 2020s.
In a huge commitment to longer-running shows The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers, the network has ordered four more seasons of each show. Additionally, Fox officially announced that American Dad! will return to the network in 2025-26, also with a four-season order.
The renewals will take all four series through the 2028-29 season. The Simpsons will extend its already ludicrous run through its 40th season and, depending on the episode count for the coming seasons, will likely approach 900 episodes by the end of the order. Family Guy will run through its 27th season and Bob’s Burgers through its 19th. The order for American Dad! will encompass seasons 20 through 23, by Fox’s count.
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All four shows come from 20th Television Animation.
“This new deal celebrates the eternal popularity of these iconic comedies, as well as the enduring, prolific relationship we continue to enjoy with our friends at 20th Television Animation and the brilliant creators — that goes double for Seth [MacFarlane] this time around — and incredible voices behind these contemporary classics,” Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn said in a statement.
Added Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade, “The longevity of this agreement reaffirms our commitment to the successful partnership we’ve built with the incredible team at Disney. This collaboration has and will continue to generate meaningful long-term value and strategically build audiences from Fox to Hulu to fans worldwide.”
American Dad! ran for nine seasons on Fox before moving to TBS in 2014, where it continued for another decade. The show finished its run there in late March, with reports circulating then that it was on the verge of moving back to Fox to continue its run.
Fox’s streaming deal with Hulu, which the two renewed late last year, likely played a role in securing the multiseason renewals. American Dad!, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy all stream on the Disney-owned platform, and the latter two are mainstays in Nielsen’s weekly top 10 streaming rankings. American Dad! sometimes shows up on the charts, as well. The Simpsons streams exclusively on Disney+, where it occasionally breaks into Nielsen’s top 10 but is nonetheless a reliable draw for viewers.
“This historic four-season order from our longtime partners at Fox is truly monumental for these iconic animated series,” said Marci Proietto, head of 20th Television Animation. “We are so proud that these legendary shows will continue for hundreds of more episodes, allowing new and longstanding fans to watch, rewatch and experience more of The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad and Bob’s Burgers for years to come.”
Creator Matt Groening executive produces The Simpsons with James L. Brooks, Sam Simon and showrunner Matt Selman. MacFarlane created Family Guy and exec produces with showrunners Rich Appel an Alec Sulkin. MacFarlane also co-created American Dad! with Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. Bob’s Burgers is executive produced by series creator Loren Bouchard and showrunners Nora Smith and Holly Schlesinger.
The four 20th TV Animation series join Fox-produced animated shows Krapopolis and Universal Basic Guys in the network’s lineup for 2025-26. The network has not yet made decisions on The Great North and Grimsburg.
Keep track of all the network renewals and cancellations with THR’s broadcast scorecard.
