First Trailer For Matt Groening’s ‘Disenchantment’ Includes References To ‘The Simpsons’ And ‘Futurama’

The first trailer for Matt Groening’s magical new Netflix series Disenchantment has dropped, and it aims to enchant fans of the animator’s most popular cartoon creations.

For decades, Matt Groening has delighted television viewers with his comedic take on the life of the modern family, and his vision of the future earned his second hit cartoon series a dedicated cult following. Now, the creator of The Simpsons and Futurama is hoping that fans of his two beloved animated classics will trade their televisions for computer screens to check out his re-imagining of the distant past. As reported by Deadline, Netflix recently dropped the first trailer for his new series, Disenchantment, and it includes nods to The Simpsons and Futurama.

The trailer opens with a shot of the moon, which won’t become the home of a popular amusement park for thousands of years, before panning down to the clouds in an obvious nod to the opening of The Simpsons. The camera then zooms in on a medieval castle, much like it did when showing an exterior shot of the Planet Express headquarters on Futurama. There’s even a domed tower that looks a bit like the futuristic building.

The trailer is narrated by Frank Welker, the voice of adorable Futurama alien Lord Nibbler.

“You’ve seen the future in Futurama. You’ve seen the present in Springfield,” he says. “So what’s the obvious third move? The past, of course. Welcome to Dreamland.”

The Disenchantment trailer introduces viewers to Bean (voiced by Broad City star Abbi Jacobson), who is described as a “hard-drinking young princess” in the show’s synopsis. In the trailer, her father, the king (Futurama‘s John Dimaggio), is shocked to learn that she’s been gallivanting around the kingdom wearing a ragged robe as a disguise. The royal’s loyal sidekicks who join her on her misadventures are a Bart-like elf named Elfo (Nat Faxon) and a “personal demon” named Luci (Eric Andre).

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Disenchantment will introduce viewers to a world populated by many different medieval characters and magical creatures, including “ogres, sprites, harpies, imps, trolls, walruses, and lots of human fools.” Groening also teased that there will be wizards, so get ready for the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter send-ups. There may also be plenty of Game of Thrones references; as noted by Variety, the kingdom of Dreamland bears a striking resemblance to King’s Landing.

Both of Matt Groening’s other big cartoon series have taken on medieval times. The Simpsons did it in the 2017 episode “The Serfsons,” and Futurama sent its characters on a Dungeons & Dragons-style quest in the direct-to-DVD movie Bender’s Game.

There’s no word on whether Disenchantment will feature any more nods to the Matt Groening series that preceded it, such as magically preserved heads that talk or a bald, overweight ogre that drools over fried pastries. However, it will feature a few familiar voices. They include that of the aforementioned John Dimaggio, who is most famous for bringing Bender the binge-drinking robot to life, and Billy West, who voiced numerous Futurama characters including Fry, Professor Farnsworth, and Dr. Zoidberg.

Disenchantment will premiere on Netflix on August 17.