Why Julie Kavner May Not Be Leaving The Simpsons

The latest episode has led fans to wonder whether Julie Kavner, who voices Marge, might be leaving The Simpsons. The final episode, titled Estranger Things, is set in the future, where Bart and Lisa have grown estranged. Their mother, Marge, is no longer alive in this timeline, but she watches over them from heaven, worried. This has sparked concern among fans about whether Marge is dead in the present and if Kavner has left the beloved show. Here are the details.

Is Julie Kavner leaving The Simpsons after Season 36 finale?

Marge is shown to be dead in a future setting, not in the present. This means she is still alive in the show’s current timeline and is not leaving. Julie Kavner is expected to return for Season 37.

The finale takes place 35 years in the future, where Bart and Lisa are adults. Over time, they’ve grown apart and no longer watch The Itchy & Scratchy Show together—something Marge feared deeply, which she sees happening from the afterlife.

A flash-forward scene shows mourners gathered at Marge’s grave. Her tombstone reads, “Beloved wife, mother, and pork-chop seasoner.” The episode does not explain what caused her death. Lisa is also seen opening a letter from Marge, written to be read after her death. In it, Marge jokes that she likely wouldn’t die before Homer and urges her children to stay connected.

Later, Lisa returns to Springfield to find Bart and Homer at the family home, but discovers Homer has been sent to Florida by Springfield’s Senior Protective Services. The estranged siblings work together to bring their father back, much to the delight of Marge, who is watching from the afterlife. She is shown resting in heaven with her high school crush, Ringo Starr.

In an interview with PEOPLE, showrunner and executive producer Matt Selman addressed the episode, noting it explores what the show’s ending might look like—if it ever ends. He said, “I don’t think about it, so I’m just going to not think about that. But certainly, it’s just if the show ever does a last episode.” This suggests that Marge is not dead in the present timeline and will appear in the next season.