According to Variety, while Fox recently announced the 20th season of The Simpsons, a deal has yet to be struck with the series’ voice talent. Production had to be put on hold while negotiations are underway which is expected to result in a shorter season of 20 or fewer episodes instead of the regular 22. The Simpsons key voice talent-Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe) and Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns)-are believed to make around $360,000 an episode. A new deal could bump that number closer to $500,000, including various bonuses, which would be more in line with the paydays of many live-action sitcom stars. The-already increased salaries could be why there doesn’t appear to be the kind of angst that has characterized past negotiations between the Simpsons voices and 20th. “Unlike the last negotiations, there hasn’t been a lot of anger or frustration,” one insider told Variety. Production was also halted in 2004 when the cast members didn’t show up for two table reads. Back then, they were looking to increase their salaries from $125,000 an episode. In 1998, the thesps (who were then making just $30,000 a seg) asked for a big raise-and 20th went as far as hiring casting directors in five cities to potentially find replacements. This time out, insiders said the talent is looking for a “healthy bump,” given the show’s history as a money-making machine for News Corp. (Coincidentally, the “Simpsons”-themed ride, which features the thesps’ voices, opens this weekend at Universal Studios’ Hollywood and Orlando locations.) The voice talent have traditionally argued that they’re asking for a relatively small piece of the Simpsons pie given its status as a global phenom worth several billions of dollars. Indeed, via syndication, international, licensing and merchandising, among other things, The Simpsons has been invaluable to the conglom.