Nancy Cartwright Predicts Simpsons Finale at Season 40, Caveat Included
Have you ever wondered when The Simpsons would come to an end? Most fans have. The series has been running for nearly 40 years, and while it remains popular, it could be on borrowed time. At the very least, that is what Nancy Cartwright, the voice actor who has voiced Bart for the show’s run, thinks. Cartwright thinks season 40 could be the end, but she’s not counting anything out just yet.
Nancy Cartwright thinks season 40 will be the natural endpoint for ‘The Simpsons’
Nancy Cartwright recently sat down on Inside of You to discuss her long-standing role as Bart Simpson on The Simpsons. The gig, the greatest voice acting job of all time according to Cartwright, could soon come to a close. When host Michael Rosenbaum questioned her about the natural end of the series, she didn’t hesitate to offer a prediction. Cartwright thinks the show will get 40 seasons before it finally comes to a close. She did note that she doesn’t have any insider intel and is just sharing her opinion.
The timeline carries some real weight given where the show currently stands, and its current contract. The Simpsons is in the middle of its 38th season, and Fox locked in a four-season renewal last year that guarantees the show through Season 40. That season is expected to air during the 2028-2029 broadcast season. That means, if Cartwright’s instinct proves right, Springfield’s story and Cartwright’s job could come to an end in just a couple of years.
She’s not pushing to throw in the towel, though
Nancy Cartwright isn’t exactly campaigning for Bart’s retirement. When pressed on whether she’d continue voicing the character if Fox wanted to keep the show going past Season 40, she said she’d “absolutely” stay on as long as everyone else opted to do the same. Cartwright noted that she wouldn’t be looking to start with a new cast of voice actors, instead hoping to stick it out with the people she’s worked so closely with for so many years.
A representative for The Simpsons declined to comment on Cartwright’s remarks, and showrunner Matt Selman has previously suggested the series has no interest in a traditional series finale at all, so fans probably shouldn’t expect a farewell season. Still, it feels like a strong place to put a punctuation mark on the series. The show has already set records with more than 800 episodes.
Even if the series ends, that doesn’t mean it is the end of the characters, either. A movie is set to hit theaters in September 2027. It’s possible other forms of media could replace the longstanding animated series, while continuing the characters’ stories.
