‘Rick & Morty’ Co-Creator Justin Roiland Leaves Show After Domestic Violence Charges Are Made Public

To say that “Rick & Morty” is a hit for Adult Swim is a gross understatement. The animated series is one of the biggest hits Adult Swim has ever had and seems to be consistently earning rave reviews as the seasons tick by. So, you have to assume the network was terrified when it was revealed that “Rick & Morty” co-creator, Justin Roiland, was charged with domestic violence and is facing serious legal issues. Is this the end of “Rick & Morty?” Well, apparently not. But it will be changing quite a bit.

According to a tweet from the official “Rick & Morty” Twitter account, the network “has ended its association with Justin Roiland,” after the news broke about his domestic violence charges. Apparently, the charges stem from a 2020 incident between Roiland and an unnamed partner he was dating at the time. The legal side of things has yet to play out, and there isn’t a lot of information about what happened. That said, the charges alone are enough for Adult Swim and Roiland to part ways. 

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So, what’s going to happen to “Rick & Morty?” Adult Swim simply stated that the series “will continue” and that work is being done right now on Season 7. (The series has a deal in place with Adult Swim through Season 10.) According to a report from THR, that isn’t all that’s happening. Dan Harmon, the other co-creator of the series, is now stepping up as the sole showrunner for “Rick & Morty,” and Roiland’s voice roles (he famously voices both title characters, along with several others) will be recast. 

Typically, the idea of a new voice actor coming in to replace both lead roles in a hugely popular animated series would be terrifying. However, there are no shortage of people able to basically fully replicate what Roiland created on “Rick & Morty.” Not just that, with all of the sci-fi shenanigans, there’s probably an in-show explanation that Harmon and Co. could come up with that would explain why Rick and Morty don’t sound exactly right. 

Either way, it appears that Roiland’s work with Adult Swim has come to an end. However, Roiland is also embedded with Hulu, perhaps even deeper, where he produces and does voice work for shows such as “Solar Opposites” and the recently released “Koala Man.” So far, it’s unclear how that relationship will change. 

If you’re curious about replacements on “Rick & Morty,” here’s an interesting video where Roiland himself grades impersonators. Needless to say, there are plenty of talented people out there.