‘The Simpsons’ will produce four new episodes exclusively for Disney+

As “The Simpsons” prepares to launch season 36 this fall on Fox, that won’t be the only place you can catch new episodes of the long-running animated series. The executive producers behind “The Simpsons” revealed Saturday at the D23 convention in Anaheim that four new episodes will air exclusively on Disney+ this upcoming season.

The new episodes include a new Christmas-themed diptych, ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, premiering on December 17 – timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the very first ‘Simpsons’ episode, the similarly Christmas-themed ‘Simpsons Roasting Over One’ open fire” in 1989.

The other two episodes, titled “The Past and the Furious” and “Yellow Planet,” will also air in the coming months, according to Disney+. And in October, a new exclusive Halloween-themed “The Simpsons” short will also premiere on Disney+.

Disney+ has debuted several exclusive “The Simpsons” shorts on the streamer, including “The Force Awakens from Its Nap,” “The Good, the Bart, and the Loki,” and “Plusaversary” in 2021, followed by “When Billie Met Lisa, ‘Welcome to the Club’ and ‘The Simpsons Meet the Bocellis in ‘Feliz Navidad” in 2022, ‘Rogue Not Whole One’ in 2023 and ‘May the 12th Be with You’ in 2024.

But this is the first time “The SIMpsons” has produced a full-length exclusive episode for Disney+ — which may raise even more questions about the show’s future on Fox. Another 20th animated TV show on Fox, “Family Guy,” also produces original Hulu episodes in addition to the Fox series.

Matt Groening, Matt Selman, Al Jean, Mike Price, Brian Kelley, David Silverman and star Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) announced the news onstage at D23 during a panel for “The Simpsons.”

The panelists also announced that the season 35 episodes (18 total) that aired last season on Fox will premiere on Disney+ on October 2.

Just a few weeks ago at San Diego Comic-Con, “The Simpsons” revealed some plans for Season 36, including teaming up with Stoopid Buddy (“Robot Chicken”) to take on “Venom” in the annual “Treehouse of Horror” this fall. extravagance. “Treehouse of Horror” won’t be the only spooky “Simpsons” event this season, as producers have announced that a “second scary trilogy” will focus on a trio of stories inspired by Ray Bradbury. Called “Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” Selman said the stories will be “dark and funny and in the Halloween spirit.”

Here’s a poster for the season 35 premiere on Disney+: