Despite Justin Roiland facing criminal charges and the uncertainty regarding who will replace his voice acting roles in Rick and Morty, the animated series is expected to fulfill the ongoing 70-episode deal that is projected to keep it on Adult Swim until 2026.
Although Adult Swim cut ties with Roiland shortly after his domestic abuse arrest made headlines last month, a recent report has shed further light on the potentially toxic behavior patterns the animation veteran might have developed through the years. Regardless, Rick and Morty are moving forward with the show’s previous plans for delivering continuous year-to-year seasons starting in 2021, as opposed to the long breaks it had before.
According to The Wrap's sources, the team behind Rick and Morty is committed to honoring the 70-episode deal that was inked in 2018 by Dan Harmon and Roiland long before any controversies. Out of that 70 episode total, 30 entries have come out in seasons 4 through 6. This leaves 40 episodes pending that should be released across four more yearly seasons if Rick and Morty keeps its current accustomed output.
Last year, showrunner Scott Marder and producer James Siciliano confirmed their intention to release a brand new season each year. However, The Wrap's report does not mention this, meaning it can’t be ruled out that recasting Roiland’s main Rick and Morty voices could cause unexpected delays. Harmon had also committed to that schedule, but in any case, the 70-episode count is locked in.
The latest news surrounding Roiland includes a detailed account from Rick and Morty staffers of problematic workplace conduct on his behalf, ranging from awkward sexual conversations to his absence from most of the show’s creative process. If those stories are true, and Roiland had been exclusively recording his lines from home for a while, without much involvement in the writing department, then perhaps Rick and Morty might be better off without him.
Picking up the slack from a fifth season that disappointed many fans, Rick and Morty season 6 wrapped up last December and generally received positive fan feedback. With Roiland ousted from all his TV projects and Squanch Games' High On Life, many will be eager to see what becomes of his most famous creation, especially if he ends up doing jail time of any kind.
Rick and Morty is available on HBO Max.
Source: The Wrap