Adult Swim has announced the seventh season return of its animated hit Rick and Morty — and the network pledges the new episodes will “raise the bar” following the exit of co-creator Justin Roiland.
The Emmy-winning sci-fi comedy is coming back Sunday, Oct. 15, at 11 p.m. and will consist of ten new episodes like previous seasons.
“It’s happening,” confirmed Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim. “Thanks to the talent of the entire show team, we can all enjoy 10 new episodes that yet again raise the bar for comedy and animation. This season proves that the geniuses at work on Rick and Morty are just getting started.”
The news comes after the ousting of Roiland from the global hit — as well as the loss of his overall deal — in January after he was charged with charged with felony domestic abuse in Orange County, California. The charges were quickly followed by the revelations of Roiland allegedly sending abusive direct messages to a fan, a resurfacing of previous problematic interview comments and allegations of workplace behavior issues. In March, however, the criminal charges were dropped.
Adult Swim has been seeking a new voice “sound alike” talent for the show’s titular characters. The network has assured the characters themselves will remain unchanged. No new cast has yet been announced, though Dan Stevens has been tapped for the lead in another Roiland animated series, Hulu’s Solar Opposites.
An official season seven description makes a reference to the recastings: “Rick and Morty are back and sounding more like themselves than ever! It’s season seven, and the possibilities are endless: what’s up with Jerry? EVIL Summer?! And will they ever go back to the high school?! Maybe not! But let’s find out! There’s probably less piss than last season. Rick and Morty, 100 years! Or at least until season 10!”
Adult Swim points out that Rick and Morty was the top comedy across all of cable during seasons three, four, five and six. The series reached over 19 million viewers on linear broadcast in 2022 and remains a top series on streaming service Max. Rick and Morty has garnered two Emmys for outstanding animated program and is currently nominated for a third.
