The Planet Express seemed to have faced its worst nemesis yet in the years-long struggle to get Futurama back on the air, when Comedy Central executives decided that the original cast would need to take a pay cut in order to make the much-awaited new season viable.

It seemed it was all over. Futurama would be recast - it would be Futurama, but not as we knew (and loved) it.

Now it seems that an equitable agreement has been reached between Comedy Central and core cast members Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche and Tress MacNeille. CC owners 20th Century Fox had even gone so far as to advertise the roles. Brinksmanship or pragmatism, we'll never know, and nor are we likely to ever know what the settlement was per actor per episode. But the important thing is that the Planet Express will be taking off again in mid-2010 intact after six years in re-run/DVD land.

Futurama creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen commented: "We are thrilled to have our incredible cast back. The call has already gone out to the animators to put the mouths back on the characters."

• Futurama: whole voice cast being recast

Chortle