History of Simpsons Timeline

David Geffen, founder of Geffen Records, had the idea to record the album The Simpsons Sing the Blues based on The Simpsons, to be released in time for Christmas 1990.

Image source: The Simpsons Sing the Blues

Soundtrack albums Songs in the Key of Springfield (1997), Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons (1999), The Simpsons Movie: The Music (2007), and The Simpsons: Testify (2007) were also released.

Producers followed up The Simpsons Sing the Blues with The Yellow Album in 1998, featuring original recordings by Prince, Linda Ronstadt, C+C Music Factory, and George Clinton of Funkadelic as well as the cast. That same year, Groening revealed Michael Jackson had secretly co-written "Do the Bartman".

Producers Brooks, Groening, Al Jean, Mike Scully, and Richard Sakai began development of The Simpsons Movie in 2001. Work continued on the screenplay from 2003 onwards in the small bungalow where Groening first pitched The Simpsons in 1987.

Image source: The Simpsons Movie

The movie's script was re-written over a hundred times, and this creativity continued even after animation had begun in 2006.

20th Century Fox, Gracie Films, and Film Roman produced an animated The Simpsons film that was released worldwide in theaters on July 27, 2007. As of November 23, 2007, it grossed $525,267,904 worldwide.

On February 27, 2020, Disney announced a second short film based on the series, Playdate with Destiny, releasing ahead of Pixar's Onward, making it the third piece of Simpsons media released in theaters.

Image source: Playdate with Destiny

In September 2025, a sequel to The Simpsons Movie was announced, scheduled for a July 23, 2027 theatrical release.

Image source: Treehouse of Horror II

Ullman filed a lawsuit in 1992, claiming that her show was the source of The Simpsons' success and therefore she should receive a share of its merchandising and gross profits; she believed she was entitled to $2.5 million of Fox's estimated $50 million in 1992.

Image source: Tracey Ullman

As well as Groening, co-developer Sam Simon was often at odds with Brooks and production company Gracie Films, and left the show in 1993.

Image source: Sam Simon

The first episode to experiment with digital coloring was "Radioactive Man" in 1995, marking an early technological shift for the series.

Doris Grau, script supervisor for the show and voice of Lunchlady Doris, died on December 30, 1995.

Image source: Doris Grau

Oakley and Weinstein stood down as showrunners after season eight because they "didn't want to break [the show]", and Mike Scully took over as showrunner in 1997.

Image source: Mike Scully

Up until production of season ten in 1998, the six main voice actors were paid $30,000 per episode. In 1998, a salary dispute arose between them and the Fox Broadcasting Company, with the actors threatening to strike.

On May 28, 1998, Phil Hartman, voice actor of Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz, was murdered by his wife, Brynn Omdahl. Rather than replace him, the production staff retired both characters from the show.

Image source: Phil Hartman

Voice actress Maggie Roswell left The Simpsons in spring 1999 after a pay dispute with Fox. She returned in 2002 for the season premiere of the fourteenth season.

Image source: Maggie Roswell

Al Jean once again became showrunner with the start of the thirteenth season in 2001, this time without Reiss. In April 2001 he told The New York Times he wanted "to take the show back to the family".

Image source: Al Jean

As the show's revenue continued to rise through syndication and DVD sales, the main cast stopped appearing for script readings in April 2004.

The writers of The Simpsons went on strike together with the Writers Guild of America at the end of 2007, halting work on the series.

Image source: 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike

Beginning with "Take My Life, Please" on February 15, 2009, The Simpsons began airing in 720p high-definition television, featuring the first major permanent change to the intro since the second season in 1990.

Image source: Take My Life, Please

In 2016, The Simpsons moved animation production from Film Roman to Fox Television Animation in season 28.

In March 2019, following the release of the Leaving Neverland documentary and renewed discussion of Michael Jackson's sexual abuse allegations, the episode "Stark Raving Dad" was pulled from circulation.

Image source: Stark Raving Dad

On February 9, 1997, with the episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show", The Simpsons surpassed The Flintstones as the longest-running prime-time animated series in the United States.

Image source: The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show

After entering its 21st season in late 2009, the show beat Gunsmoke's record as the longest-running American primetime, scripted television series, having already become the longest-running American sitcom and animated program.

Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock was asked to direct The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!, shown January 10, 2010 alongside "Once Upon a Time in Springfield", promoted as the 450th episode. The celebration ran from January 14, 2009 to January 14, 2010.

Image source: The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!

Stamps designed by Groening were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009, and approximately one billion stamps were printed.

On October 4, 2011, 20th Century Fox Television released a statement saying: "23 seasons in, The Simpsons is as creatively vibrant as ever and beloved by millions around the world."

In February 2019, the series was renewed for a 31st and 32nd season, bringing it up to 713 episodes and making it the first scripted primetime series to surpass 700 episodes.

On March 3, 2021, The Simpsons was renewed for a 33rd and 34th season, with further extensions for a 35th and 36th season on January 26, 2023.

On April 2, 2025, the show was renewed for four additional seasons on Fox, up to a 40th season, with at least 15 episodes each.

Since its debut on December 17, 1989, the show has broadcast 808 episodes, and its 37th season premiered on September 28, 2025.

Image source: The Simpsons season 37

In 2013, FXX purchased the exclusive American cable rights to the series.

Image source: FXX

In August 2014, a new website and app called Simpsons World launched, containing every episode from the show's first 25 seasons available with a valid cable login. It was officially shut down on November 16, 2019 after Disney+ acquired streaming rights.

Image source: The Simpsons

In March 2019, following the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, The Simpsons became a property of The Walt Disney Company along with other former Fox franchises and studios.

Image source: Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney

On April 11, 2019, it was announced that the series would stream exclusively on Disney+ at launch; Simpsons World was shut down on November 16, 2019, four days after Disney+'s launch.

Image source: Disney+

In May 2019, FXX's sister network Freeform began sharing the off-network rights to the series and began airing it on October 2, 2019.

On May 28, 2020, Disney+ introduced a feature allowing viewers to toggle between the original 4:3 aspect ratio and remastered 16:9 ratio for seasons 1–20.