The Simpsons Star Reveals If Season 40 Could Be The Last

One of The Simpsons’ main actors has addressed whether the show will conclude with season 40.

After starting out as a series of animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons premiered on Fox at the end of 1989. Nearly 40 years later, the Matt Groening-created show remains one of the best American sitcoms, and spawned a franchise that includes movies, Disney+ specials, video games, comics, and more. With the 40th anniversary approaching, Nancy Cartwright, who voices Bart Simpson, has shared her take on whether The Simpsons’ end is approaching.

In the most recent episode of Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, the title host asked Cartwright how long she thinks The Simpsons will go. She answered, “40 [seasons],” adding, “It’s my opinion.” Cartwright then clarified that she’s amenable to continuing with the show past season 40 provided that “everybody” is “still alive” by that point. The Simpsons received a four-season renewal last year, with season 40 expected to air during the 2028-2029 broadcast season.

Cartwright has been part of The Simpsons since the beginning, with her co-stars for the entirety of that time including Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, and Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson. Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer are also among The Simpsons‘ longtime cast members, with both men voicing various roles. Along with Bart, Cartwright voices Maggie Simpson, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and Nelson Muntz. She’s also well known for voicing Chuckie Finster in Rugrats (inheriting the role from Christine Cavanaugh) and the spinoff All Grown Up!.

It remains to be seen when The Simpsons’ status after season 40 will be announced, but the show already ranks as the longest-running American animated series, longest-running American sitcom, and the longest-running American scripted primetime TV show. Whenever the end does come, showrunner Matt Slemin said in February that The Simpsons will not have a series finale. Instead, it will “just be a regular episode that has the family in it” with “a little Easter egg here and there” since the show has already done a series finale parody.

The Simpsons has a lot of great episodes that have aired over the decades, though criticism has been directed at more recent seasons for a perceived decline in quality. Nevertheless, the show’s list of accolades includes 12 Emmy Awards, 34 Annie Awards, a Peabody Award, and the Simpson family even receiving their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. In 2007, the family and their supporting cast of characters made the jump to the big screen in The Simpsons Movie, which was a critical and commercial success.

“Yellow Mirror,” Disney+ ‘s next Simpsons special, will be released on Wednesday, August 26. Additionally, The Simpsons 2 is scheduled to arrive in theaters on September 3, 2027, and is the sole movie occupying that date for now. The Simpsons itself currently airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, with other programming that night including Animal Control, Universal Basic Guys, and Grimsburg.

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Network

FOX

Showrunner

Al Jean

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  Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)

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  Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)