Excited fans posted in the comments underneath, external, with many satirising the show’s opening credits to show images of Bart writing lines on a school blackboard, which read: “I will not wait 20 years to make another movie.”

The Simpsons first appeared in 1987 as cartoon shorts on another US TV show, The Tracey Ullman Show, before getting their own one two years later.

Created by Matt Groening, it has now aired for 37 seasons. And it was recently renewed through to season 40, which will air in 2028/29.

The first movie, directed by David Silverman, grossed an estimated $536 million (£400m) at the global box office, and there had been rumours in the press of a sequel for years but nothing was confirmed until now.

Showrunner Matt Selman recently told Variety, external that streaming had helped the series not only remain relevant to older viewers but also gain new fans.

“Now, instead of the kids watching it on local TV in the afternoon, they can just watch it all, all the time, all day, all forever,” he said.