Matt Groening's The Simpsons was among the biggest scores for Disney in its acquisition of Fox and was placed at the forefront of Disney+ marketing. The animated sitcom has, after all, been at the forefront of animated television since it premiered in 1990, and that continues to be the case now after its 33rd season.
Over the years, The Simpsons has always tried to stay relevant to modern culture, and that includes its references to the ever-popular Marvel universe. The series even released a Loki-inspired short to tie into the Disney+ release that included appearances from 25 heroes and villains.
This weekend, September 9, will undoubtedly be a big one for Disney as the bi-annual D23 Expo delivers news from all corners of the House of Mouse. Among the chaos is a Simpsons-centric panel, which included a hilarious parody of the Marvel's iconic reveal events.
The Simpsons Reveal MCU Parody at D23
During The Simpsons' panel at Disney's D23 Expo, an animated Homer Simpson was interviewed by Winnie the Pooh and answered a series of planted questions which led to a hilarious reference to the MCU's Phase 5 slate.
As shared by Laughing Place, the cartoon icon was asked about a sequel to The Simpsons Movie, leading to the reveal of Phase 5 of the Simpsons Cinematic Universe. The parody slate included the likes of Iron Moe, Sea Captain America, Groundskeepers of the Galaxy, SelmaVision, and Moon Knight (the exact same title as its MCU inspiration).
These titles clearly reference the likes of Moe Szyslak, Horatio McCallister, Groundskeeper Willy, and Selma Bouvier, with Moon Knight being the odd one out of the bunch as the title stands unchanged from the MCU. The parody slate was revealed alongside a poster of Bart Simpson flashing his rear, or mooning while wearing a Moon Knight-inspired costume.
Marvel Studios previously revealed its blockbuster Phase 5 slate in July at San Diego Comic-Con. The Hollywood giant is expected to reveal further details of its upcoming plans on Saturday, September 10, during the Hall D23 presentation.
Disney also included confirmation that The Simpsons' latest season will be coming to Disney+ on October 5. Season 33 of the hit animated series concluded in May and will return for Season 34 on September 25.
The Simpsons Cinematic Universe?!
Obviously, The Simpsons' parody slate reveal was just a hilarious way to poke fun at the Marvel Cinematic Universe formula and the ever-growing world. Nonetheless, one can only imagine a world in which The Simpsons was expanded into a whole franchise with spin-offs for many characters.
After all, the animated sitcom wouldn't be the first of its kind to attempt to expand, as Family Guy previously launched The Cleveland Show as a spin-off. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Brown-led show failed to find its needed success and was canceled after four seasons.
The closest thing to a spin-off to ever spawn out of The Simpsons was its big-screen movie, one to which many have been calling for a sequel for years. But executive producer James L. Brooks previously explained the team is too busy with the main series and the Disney+ shorts to commit to a movie.
These special Disney+ shorts have included crossovers with the likes of Billie Eilish, Star Wars, and the MCU. Disney will undoubtedly continue to follow that same path for a long time to come, perhaps even attempting crossovers with more of the House of Mouse's biggest IPs.
The Simpsons will return for Season 34 on Sunday, September 25, at 8/7c on Fox.
