The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom that hardly needs an introduction, as it’s the longest-running American animated sitcom. The series originally began as a series of animated shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show, which then spun-off into its own series for Fox in 1989, soon to be reaching its 800th episode. The Simpsons has evolved over the years into a cultural cornerstone. Since 2024, the series is also on Disney+.
The creative team behind The Simpsons recently came to Annecy international animation film festival 2025 to celebrate the show’s legacy in the special screening program “A Legendary Encounter: Icons of Animation Celebrate The Simpsons.” The guests at the event were series creator Matt Groening, animator and director David Silverman, and Matt Selman, writer and current showrunner of the series.
In the packed theatre, Matt Groening, Matt Selman and David Silverman discussed the legacy of the series, celebrating the most iconic moments of the series throughout the years, reflecting on the success of the show and its impact on culture along with the screening of a few shorts, including: A Futurama segment paying homage to the style of The Adventures of Tintin (from the anthology episode The Futurama Mystery Liberry), A collection of The Simpsons‘s most notable gags, and the French premiere of a new episode (P.S. I Hate You) from episode 14, season 36.
During the event, Matt Groening has received an Honorary Cristal Award on-stage.
The morning after, Groening, Selman and Silverman joined us very briefly for a few questions on their contributions to The Simpsons and how they shaped the series, as well as an insightful take into their creative process as they discuss an idea for a new episode.
Additionally, for a more in-depth interview on The Simpsons, you may check our previous interview with David Silverman back at FMX 2018 here.
Interview with Matt Groening, Matt Selman and David Silverman
Trayton Scott (TS): All of you have been instrumental to the success of The Simpsons for many years. How has each of your contributions really shaped The Simpsons, especially during the inception of the series and continuing its legacy today?
Matt Groening: First of all, I drew the cartoons for the first time, so that’s my credit. But these guys are the heart and soul of the show, and I’m going to stick up for them first. David Silverman invented the rules of how to draw The Simpsons, and he draws them funnier than anybody else. And Matt Selman is the current showrunner and executive producer, and he is the heart and soul of The Simpsons. He’s very modest, so that’s why I’m speaking for him!
Matt Selmon: You guys are creating the Garden of Eden in seven days, and I tend the garden. I prune the garden.
Matt Groening: He’s so modest. He has basically brought the show into the 21st century. The show is so inventive these days, and it’s under his guidance. Again, he’s going to be so modest about this, but he’s fantastic.
Matt Selmon: We have the greatest template, coloring book or sandbox in the world to play with. If we don’t do inventive things, like if we just do boring stories, or the same stories, repeating ourselves, it’s the most wasted creative opportunity in the world. We don’t just say “what’s weirder, what’s more original, what’s something that only we could talk about?” If we do a reference that no one understands, to me, that’s great. Maybe if five kids are curious about it and go learn about that thing, that most people are completely baffled by. Who else can do that? Who else has the creative authority to be so reckless and indulgent and free? To hold up Matt and David’s mirror of ‘Springfield’ up to the world now, and the world of the past.
David Silverman: We also have a great team on the writing side and the animation side, great teams of artists and writers. So that really helps us continue and move forward. The original template is just a really great way to develop stories and have a great time. We’ve benefited on both sides of this.
TS: The Simpsons is now reaching its 800th episode. What’s the secret to coming up with and developing new storylines while keeping things fresh over such a huge number of episodes over the decades?
Matt Groening: There’s something about The Simpsons, as a template for telling different kinds of stories. As you know, we do parody and slapstick and satirical references. One of the things I love about the show is that you don’t have to get every joke or every reference, and it’s still very fun and entertaining. Then maybe if you’re a kid, you’ll grow up and you’ll watch Citizen Kane, for instance, and you’ll see that The Simpsons has basically parodied every scene in the movie Citizen Kane. Maybe we’ll ruin that movie!
Matt Selman: Well, in terms of keeping the show original, there’s almost a kind of zen to it where you won’t think of anything original, but you have to get a sixth sense of what is new or what is fresh, like we’re doing a show coming up where Bart and Lisa adopt a baby chimp. Homer watches a documentary about the bad behaviour of adult chimps and Homer is terrified of the baby chimp and what it might do to him.
Matt Groening: I’m hearing this for the first time!
Matt Selman: I hope you like it, boss! There could be a lot of The Simpsons episodes, but there’s also stuff in it that is very current and very original. There are emotional scenes with Bart and Lisa in their relationship that to me feel new and original in this kind of “two kids parent a baby chimp” story. I’m excited about it.
Matt Groening: So, we’ll do that, and we’re going to make an observation about chimps: When they do that teeth bearing smile, that’s an expression of aggression. If you see that on the cover of the cereal box, don’t eat that cereal. That’s basically what the chimp is saying.
Matt Selman: It’s a story about parenting, about what parents will do just for their kids. Again, Homer is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his kids.
Matt Groening: Well, when I was a kid, in the back of comic books, there was an ad for a real life squirrel monkey that fits in a teacup, and I had a friend who sent away for one and got it. It came in a box and it was half dead. Then it revived and it basically took over the basement. When they went down to the basement, they said it was like a living buzzsaw. Just attacking and biting his hatchet.
David Silverman: So the point is, different stories abound.
Matt Groening: We’re going in the chimp direction in this season.
