Rick and Morty Season 7 explains Justin Roiland situation
Having one of your leading actors embroiled in a behind-the-scenes drama is never good for a TV series, and as we've seen with the likes of Two and a Half Men and House of Cards, it can lead to some major changes. Now, the future of Adult Swim's Rick and Morty Season 7 has been confirmed.
The kooky comedy has been a staple of our screens since 2013, with this adult animation being the perfect riff on Back to the Future. Alongside co-creator, Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland takes top billing - known as the voice of lead characters Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith.
Rick and Morty confirms Season 7 changes without Roiland
Click to enlargeIn 2023, news came to light that Roiland had been arrested and charged with domestic battery and false imprisonment in 2020. It was kept a secret until NBC broke the news in January, which led to a slew of others coming forward with claims about Roiland's supposed behaviour.
Although Roiland was cleared of criminal charges in March 2023 due to insufficient evidence, Adult Swim has previously confirmed it was parting ways with him in January. Solar Opposites and Koala Man will also continue without him, while Squanch Games said he'd resigned from his position the same month.
Fans knew the network was committed to continuing with Rick and Morty, and during this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Executive Producer Steven Levy hyped the future of the series "(via Variety), saying, "We are closing in on the end of our process of the recast, but I do want to say it's gonna be great.
"I am thoroughly impressed with everything that’s going on, including all the work on season 7. Truly, that's the thing I don't want to be overshadowed. The show is as good as it's ever been." When the floor was opened to questions and someone asked whether Rick and Morty's voices will change, Levy confirmed, "It's sound-alikes."
Has Rick and Morty been cancelled?
Click to enlargeIt remains to be seen what the 'new' Rick and Morty will sound like, but as we've heard with The Simpsons replacing Doctor Hibbert, it can sometimes be a little jarring. TikTok is full of Rick and Morty impressions that are pretty solid, so we're excited to hear the actor behind them.
The good news is that it shouldn't be one-and-done. When the Roiland situation was at its peak, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Rick and Morty was commissioned for another 70 episodes - taking it through to Season 10.
There's currently no release date for Rick and Morty Season 7, but Levy promised it's coming "pretty dang soon." Considering we've been used to two-year waits between seasons, we've glad the dynamic duo are back sooner rather than later...even if they'll sound slightly different.