Fans are fearing for the future of The Simpsons after the show announced they have cast a very famous actor to voice Maggie, a character who famously doesn't talk.
The youngest member of television's most recognisable family, Maggie Simpson is a character who is famous for having a dummy (or pacifier, if you're on the other side of the Atlantic) in her mouth and saying very little about her family's hijinks.
Although the character has said the odd word every now and again, Maggie's lack of a voice has been somewhat of a running gag across the 35 years of The Simpsons being on air.
Her stoicism is something which has even continued in episodes showing the family aged up in episodes such as 'Lisa's Wedding' and 'Holidays of Future Passed', leading several fans to speculate whether or not she is able to talk.
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However, an upcoming episode of the show has ripped up this rule entirely by casting Mean Girls and Freakier Friday star Lindsay Lohan to deliver the youngster's lines.
Teasing a clip of the episode, which is set to air on Sunday, on social media, Lohan revealed the Simpson family will be ageing up for their latest adventure.
Lisa and Bart are now teenagers, while Maggie is a young child who's not particularly fond of her older brother learning to drive.
In the clip, Bart declares that he will be driving to school today, telling Marge: "How am I going to learn not to kill people if you don't let me practice."
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A visibly uncomfortable Maggie then goes to voice her disdain, only to be told by Marge she needs to rest her voice due to laryngitis and for a moment it appears the running gag of Maggie being silent continues – until she opens her mouth and makes an impassioned plea to her mother about Bart's driving abilities.
Watch the moment in the teaser clip below:
"Catch me on #TheSimpsons this Sunday on FOX! What a dream come true to be part of this iconic family," the 39-year-old said on Instagram.
The decision to break with tradition and give Maggie several lines of dialogue is one which has left viewers both excited and nervous for the future of The Simpsons, as fans wondering what other changes could be down the line.
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"As much as this joke was wearing thin, actually allowing Maggie to talk feels like such a sign the show is ending soon," wrote one person on X, while another person wondered if the scene could be setting up a potential future film.
"I genuinely believe this is what the end of the next Simpsons movie will do. There’s literally nothing you can do with The Simpsons that warrants a theatrical film unless it actually disrupts the status quo," the user wrote, in response to a person who said the series should allow the characters to age.
However not everyone was panicking that major changes were on the horizon for The Simpsons, with several other fans heaping praise on Lohan's portrayal of the character.
"Unexpected but fitting, future maggie voiced by lindsay lohan feels oddly full circle," wrote one person on X, while a second penned: "Did Maggie just talk? It’s a Christmas miracle lmao.
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"The way it doesn’t even sound like her omg her voice acting talent… she can do it all," added a third.
Topics: The Simpsons, Lindsay Lohan, TV, TV and Film
Brenna Cooper