Who Produces The Simpsons
The Simpsons is produced by Gracie Films in association with 20th Television Animation, a division of Walt Disney Television. Matt Groening created the series, and James L. Brooks has served as executive producer since the series debut. The show is animated by Film Roman, later outsourced to Fox Television Animation and now handled by studios under Disney Television Animation. Production offices remain in Los Angeles, and the series is distributed by Disney Platform Distribution for broadcast and streaming. Forbes reports on the business model behind the longest-running scripted series.
Disney acquired the rights to The Simpsons through its 2019 purchase of 21st Century Fox. The acquisition included the entire Fox entertainment library, the Fox Broadcasting network, and the animation studio behind The Simpsons. Disney now controls syndication, merchandise, home video, and streaming distribution through Disney+ and Hulu. SEC filings detail the merger terms and asset transfers.
Ownership and Corporate Structure
The Simpsons is owned by The Walt Disney Company through its television segment. Disney Television Animation oversees production, while 20th Television handles distribution and licensing. Gracie Films, founded by James L. Brooks, remains the creative production company and continues to work with Disney on new seasons and content strategy. Bloomberg reports on Disney's streaming strategy for The Simpsons.
The series is one of the highest-value assets in Disney's television portfolio, generating revenue from advertising, streaming, syndication, and consumer products. Disney has renewed the series multiple times, with the latest renewal extending the episode count into the 30s season range. The show remains the longest-running American scripted primetime series by episode count and continues to rank among the most-watched animated programs on Disney+ and Hulu.
Production and Creative Team
Matt Groening remains the creator and executive producer, with James L. Brooks serving as executive producer and creative supervisor. Al Jean has served as showrunner since 2010 and continues to oversee the writing room and animation pipeline. The series uses a large writers' room, with teams based in Los Angeles, and animation is handled by studios under the Disney Television Animation umbrella.
Voice actors, including Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer, continue to record new episodes under union agreements. The series has won dozens of awards, including Emmy Awards, Annie Awards, and a Peabody Award. The Hollywood Reporter covers the latest season renewals and production updates.