Pop culture oracle “The Simpsons” has predicted more doom and gloom for 2026. In 2026, eagle-eyed viewers are looking at storylines that could be connected to a new type of flu, artificial intelligence taking over jobs, another world war, smart homes and aliens.

The Simpsons is known for foreshadowing future events, and that trend appears to continue in 2026. Ahead of the new year, fans turned to The Simpsons to identify potential storylines from the show’s 37 seasons that could come true in 2026.

And, that's Season 3’s first episode, “Stark Raving Dad,” which was pulled from Disney+ after HBO's Leaving Neverland aired. I lament that it's gone now, and for a number of reasons. Here are just three.

The original intended pilot for The Simpsons might surprise you, and it's better that we never got that first version of the animated show.

Controversy has long been part of The Simpsons’ history. Over its decades on air, the series has faced scrutiny for storylines and references including a Michael Jackson cameo, episodes banned in certain countries such as “Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo” and “Blame It on Lisa,” and the dark storyline involving Frank Grimes.

As The Simpsons have a shocking history of predicting real-world events, fans are fearful as some concerning predictions for this year are already seeming to come true

The Simpsons fans think character ‘retirement’ hints series is ending - ’They’re so preparing to wrap up the show,’ one viewer predicted

Writers on The Simpsons have long been responsible for seemingly accurately predicting the future and 2025 appeared to be no exception to the long-established rule