Rick and Morty SDCC 2023 Panel
In January 2023, a significant scandal rocked the entertainment world centered around the famed adult cartoon Rick and Morty. NBC News reported that Justin Roiland, series co-creator and voice of the titular duo, had been arrested two years earlier on domestic assault charges. Things snowballed from there as more people came forward with accusations of their own, dragging his name through the mud. The charges were dropped by March, but the damage was already done. Adult Swim and Hulu, home to Rick and Morty and another show he co-created called Solar Opposites, had already cut all ties with him. In addition, Roiland resigned from his position as CEO of his gaming company, Squanch Games. The man had become a pariah, with many wondering if Rick and Morty could continue without him.
Thankfully, any concerns about the future of the popular sci-fi series have been put to rest at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. At least, most of them.
Rick and Morty is Coming Back!
At a panel celebrating the series’ tenth anniversary, several pieces of information regarding the future of Rick and Morty were released by the show’s crew, the cast nowhere to be found. Among other things, series producer Steve Levy confirmed that Roiland’s dismissal has not affected the show. Adult Swim is continuing production of Rick and Morty. All of season 7 is ready to go; they have season 8 written out, and are currently in the process of writing season 9. Adult Swim clearly means to honor their promise of keeping the show around for a long time.
One issue that was not addressed, though, was regarding who will now play Rick and Morty. The show’s crew stated that they were nearing the end of the process of recasting all of Justin Roiland’s roles, and are keeping the search to soundalikes. However, they did not reveal who might take Justin’s place or give a concrete release date.
One bit of good news that fans got, though, had to do with another Rick and Morty project: Rick and Morty: the Anime. Following the popularity of a series of anime shorts revolving around the show, Adult Swim’s decided to make a full-blown anime series about the titular duo. What’s more, SDCC had the privelege of premiering the opening to the upcoming series at the panel.
Regardless of the black mark Justin Roiland’s left, it’s clear that Rick and Morty remains stronger than ever. While fans will have to wait longer to see the show return, they can rest easy knowing that it will return.
