Bart Simpson is going to die. Temporarily, at least.
After more than two decades of scheming to kill Bart Simpson, arch nemesis Sideshow Bob — a character voiced by Kelsey Grammer — will finally succeed during this fall’s Treehouse of Horror, the annual Halloween episode of “The Simpsons.”
“I’m one of the people that always wanted the coyote to eat the roadrunner,” showrunner Al Jean said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly radio. “I hated frustration comedy so we’ll scratch that itch.”
Bart will be revived after the Halloween episode, which traditionally has a different format and takes place outside of the series’ continuity.
Jean tweeted about the reaction to the revelation on Sunday:
.@thesimpsons #EverySimpsonsEver Amazed how excited the media are to report in the murder of a ten year old boy http://t.co/sytwCFzA9H
— Al Jean (@AlJean) June 7, 2015
Fox renewed “The Simpsons” for its 27th and 28th seasons last month.
Last month, Harry Shearer — the voice actor behind Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders and Principal Skinner — announced that he’d be exiting the series to have the freedom to pursue other work. The characters, however, are safe, as producers will find new actors to voice the roles.