THE SIMPSONS: Al Jean Teases Upcoming ‘Treehouse of Horror’ Installments

As THE SIMPSONS enters its incredible 31st season, the animated comedy will have a fun quirk of a milestone for its upcoming “Treehouse of Horror” installment: it’ll run as the show’s 666th episode.

“It was not really planned,” executive producer Al Jean says. “A few years ago and I looked at it like, ‘Oh my God, this is too good to be true.'”

As per tradition, the episode will be understandably pop culture-heavy. “We have a STRANGER THINGS parody we showed at Comic-Con, which went well,” Jean previews. “[And] we have a SHAPE OF WATER [tribute], where Selma falls in love with Kang. And we have a little nod to it being episode 666.”

But kicking off the season is “The Winter of Our Monetized Content,” as Homer and Bart navigate their unexpected internet celebrity. “The premiere is hilarious,” Jean teases. “And John Mulaney has a big, big role.”

Later in the season, “Michael Rapaport is in a show; Jason Momoa [is, too]. Pete Holmes wrote and appears in an episode, too. We have a Christmas episode with Sideshow Bob, that’s really exciting. [Plus,] Artie Ziff comes back and gets married. That’s really exciting.” However, Jean declined to tease exactly who might be willing to marry Artie.

The producer was equally tight-lipped about whether John Legend and Chrissy Teigen would be playing themselves, but did allow that their episode is tentatively set to air in the second half of the season.

And while fans are just getting season 31, the writers are already hard at work on season 32, including the next go-round of “Treehouse of Horror” installments. “We’re planning our next Halloween show in 2020, which comes right before the election. That will be something.”

Also ahead is THE SIMPSONS’ back catalogue moving from FXX’s app to the new Disney+ streaming platform. “[The transition plans are] not quite done, so I can’t really say [anything] except I’m really excited about it,” he says. “The things that are on Disney+ and the cost of them are both fantastic.”

But don’t expect Disney’s ownership of the show to be a detriment to the series. “As a show, it’s not changing,” Jean says. “But what’s possible in terms of being part of Disney is enormous.”

THE SIMPSONS, Season Premiere, Sunday, September 29, 8/7c, Fox

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• THE SIMPSONS Joins Freeform
• Fox Renews THE SIMPSONS

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