Fox Threatens End of 'Simpsons' if Voice Actors Don't Accept 45% Pay Cut (Report)

NEW YORK - The latest pay dispute between News Corp.'s Fox and the six principle voice actors on The Simpsons may bring an end to the hit show in the spring, the Daily Beast reported.

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20th Century Fox Television executives are looking for a 45 percent salary cut, according to the report. If the cast doesn’t accept the reduction, the animated series, currently in its 23rd season, will come to an end in the spring, the studios executives have threatened, the Daily Beast said.

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Pay issues are nothing new for the evergreen Sunday night show. Executives at 20th Century Fox have in the past sometimes suggested that they could replace current cast members with other voice actors if pay disputes don't get resolved.

A Fox studio spokesman had no comment late Monday night, the Daily Beast said.

The top voice actors on the animated hit show get $400,000 per episode under their current deal.

Fox network entertainment president Kevin Reilly recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the company is looking at options for the Simpsons after talk of a possible Simpsons network emerged.

"We're having conversations with [executive producer] Jim Brooks trying to figure out what the next chapter looks like," he said. "I certainly don't want it to be on my watch where we have to make that change."

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com

Twitter: @georgszalai