Cancellation of Futurama

In 2003, when the production company of Futurama were waiting for FOX to order a fifth production season in wake of the fourth production season's production being almost finished, no call came, effectively labelling Futurama as cancelled, ending the show's original run.

In early 2006, after successful DVD sales and popular syndication on Adult Swim, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment decided to order four films as a fifth production season.

Causes
The first and foremost cause of FOX refusing to order new episodes after four production seasons is attributed to the price of show and the decreasing popularity of the show. Despite Futurama's pilot episode, "Space Pilot 3000", being the most watched pilot episode on FOX when it aired, the show had been decreasing slowly in popularity over time, and FOX was disappointed in the show, which they had assumed could gain a popularity like their other show, The Simpsons, and even within FOX, arguments arose regarding whether they had kept Futurama alive for too long.