You know how most people just get up and leave the second the screen fades to black? They’re missing out. Big time. When The Simpsons Movie hit theaters back in 2007, it wasn't just a 90-minute victory lap for the longest-running scripted show in TV history. It was a massive logistical puzzle. And the way they handled the Simpsons movie credits proves that Matt Groening and the crew knew exactly how to reward the fans who actually bothered to stay in their seats.
Honestly, sitting through the scroll is usually a chore. It’s a wall of names. Key grips, best boys, craft services—important people, sure, but not exactly "entertainment." But the Springfield team turned the ending into a meta-joke about the audience’s patience.
The Maggie Simpson "First Word" Gag
Remember the hype? For years, Maggie being silent was the show's longest-running gag. Then she finally talked in the movie. Well, sorta. If you stayed for the Simpsons movie credits, you saw Maggie sitting alone in the theater. She looks right at the camera and says one word: "Sequel?"
It was perfect. It wasn't just a cute moment; it was a wink at the commercial nature of Hollywood. People have been dissecting that one-second clip for nearly two decades now. Every time a rumor about The Simpsons Movie 2 hits the blogs, fans go right back to that credit sequence. It’s the ultimate "tease" that never actually paid off, which is the most Simpsons thing imaginable.
Tom Hanks and the PSA that never ends
Tom Hanks is in the movie for like, a minute. He’s doing a commercial for the "New Grand Canyon" (which is just the giant hole where Springfield used to be). It’s funny, but the payoff happens during the scroll.
Hanks returns during the credits to basically beg the audience to leave him alone. He says, "This is Tom Hanks saying, if you see me in person, please, leave me be." It’s such a sharp, self-aware bit of writing. Most celebrities in animated films are there for the paycheck and the prestige. Hanks was there to poke fun at his own "America’s Dad" persona.
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The credits actually keep the "extra" content flowing for a long time. You’ve got the Springfield Anthem, which is basically a failed attempt at a patriotic song. Hearing the townspeople struggle through lyrics about how Springfield is "mediocre at best" while the names of three thousand animators fly by makes the wait bearable.
Why the "Green" credits actually mattered
Back in 2007, "going green" was the massive trend. The producers decided to lean into this. They claimed the production was carbon neutral. They even included a credit for a "Carbon Neutral Consultant."
It sounds like a joke. It’s not.
Fox actually worked with a company called NativeEnergy to offset the carbon footprint of the production. They calculated the electricity used by the computers at Film Roman and Rough Draft Studios, the flights for the voice actors, and even the commute for the writers. They bought wind power credits to balance it out. Including this in the Simpsons movie credits wasn't just a flex; it was a weirdly early example of a major studio trying to prove environmental responsibility on a blockbuster scale.
The sheer scale of the animation team
If you look at the names, you start to realize why this movie took forever to make. Most episodes of the show use a few hundred people. The movie credits list over 1,000 artists.
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You see names from different eras of the show. David Silverman directed it, but you see the "Consulting Producers" list which is basically a Hall of Fame of TV comedy. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike Scully, Richard Sakai. These are guys who hadn't sat in the same room to write a script in years. The credits are a testament to the "All-Star Team" approach.
The list of "Additional Voices" is also a trip. You’ve got Tress MacNeille and Pamela Hayden doing a dozen roles each. But then you see the random cameos. Albert Brooks (credited as "A. Brooks") plays Russ Cargill. He’s been in the show since season one as everything from Hank Scorpio to a bowling instructor. Seeing his name in the big theatrical credits felt like a homecoming for die-hard fans.
The "Assistant to Mr. Castellaneta" and other tiny details
Fans always look for the Easter eggs. In the credits, there are specific call-outs that show the hierarchy of a show this big. Each of the "Main Six" actors—Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer—had their own assistants.
That might seem like Hollywood diva stuff. It’s not. By the time the movie was being made, these actors were recording lines for the movie, the TV show, and The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios all at once. The credits show the massive support system required to keep the Simpson machine running.
Why we're still talking about these credits in 2026
The reason the Simpsons movie credits stay relevant is that they represent the last time the entire "classic" creative team was fully united on a single project. The scroll is a historical document of the 20th Television and Gracie Films era before the Disney acquisition changed everything.
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Back then, the credits were also a way to sneak in some last-minute social commentary. The "Springfield Anthem" lyrics are a biting critique of American exceptionalism. Listening to the chorus while the copyright info scrolls is a weirdly poignant experience.
It’s also about the music. Hans Zimmer did the score, taking over for the legendary Alf Clausen. Zimmer’s name in the credits was a big deal. He took Danny Elfman’s iconic theme and made it feel "theatrical." If you listen to the credit music closely, you can hear Zimmer playing with the leitmotifs in a way the TV show never had the budget or the orchestra to do.
What to look for next time you watch
If you're going to re-watch the film, don't just shut it off when the family drives away on the motorcycle. Watch for these specific beats in the credits:
- The "Special Thanks" section: This is where they hide the names of writers who contributed jokes but didn't get a full screenplay credit. It's a "who's who" of comedy writers from the 90s.
- The "Carbon Offset" badge: Look for the NativeEnergy logo. It’s a tiny piece of history from when Hollywood first started getting serious about climate change.
- The State of Florida joke: There’s a brief mention regarding the location of Springfield that keeps the "Which state is it in?" mystery alive.
- The "Orchestra Contractor": See how many musicians it takes to make The Simpsons sound like a movie. It’s over 100.
The credits are the bridge between the movie and the series' return to TV. They weren't just an ending; they were a transition.
Taking Action: How to appreciate the details
Next time you’re streaming the film on Disney+, don't let the "Auto-play next" or "Suggested for you" pop-ups rob you of the experience. Disable the auto-next feature just once. Sit through the ten minutes of scrolling.
Listen to the full version of the "Springfield Anthem." Watch for Maggie’s "Sequel" line. Pay attention to the sheer volume of names in the animation department. It gives you a much deeper appreciation for the three years of "development hell" the movie went through. You’ll start to see the names of people who have been working on the show since 1989, and it hits differently when you see them on the big screen.
If you're a real nerd for this stuff, compare the movie credits to the credits of a standard Season 19 episode. The difference in production scale is staggering. It wasn't just a "long episode." It was a massive, global undertaking that required thousands of humans to draw millions of frames. Those names deserve their three minutes of screen time.