History of Rick and Morty in Timeline
Rick and Morty is an adult animated science fiction sitcom following the misadventures of Rick Sanchez, a cynical mad scientist, and his grandson Morty Smith. They navigate domestic life alongside interdimensional travel across infinite realities, using portals and Rick's flying saucer. The show balances family drama with the hijinks caused by Rick dragging Morty into his schemes.
2004: Roiland Joins Channel 101
In 2004, Justin Roiland, then a producer on reality programming, began submitting content to Channel 101, a short film festival, where he later met Dan Harmon.
2006: Creation of Doc and Mharti
In 2006, Justin Roiland created The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti for Channel 101, a short film that parodied Back to the Future and served as the precursor to Rick and Morty.
May 2012: Rick and Morty Pilot Unveiled
In May 2012, Adult Swim unveiled its development slate which included a Rick and Morty pilot from Harmon and Roiland.
October 2012: Series Picked Up
In October 2012, Adult Swim picked up Rick and Morty to series as one of the network's first primetime original shows.
2012: Harmon Approached by Adult Swim
In 2012, after being briefly fired from Community, Dan Harmon was approached by Adult Swim to create a prime-time show, leading to the development of Rick and Morty with Justin Roiland.
December 2013: Season 1 Premiere
In December 2013, the first season of Rick and Morty premiered on Adult Swim.
2013: Roiland Acknowledges Simpsons Influence
In a 2013 interview, Justin Roiland acknowledged the heavy influence of The Simpsons on his cartooning style for Rick and Morty, comparing it to the styles of Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time) and J. G. Quintel (Regular Show).
February 2014: Season 2 Renewal
In February 2014, Rick and Morty was renewed for a second season by Adult Swim, driven by the show's strong performance in its time slot.
April 2014: Season 1 Conclusion
In April 2014, the first season of Rick and Morty concluded, comprising eleven episodes including the pilot.
April 1, 2015: Rick and Morty Comic Book Adaptation Debuts
On April 1, 2015, the first monthly issue of the 'Rick and Morty' comic book adaptation, entitled "BAM!", debuted. The series was initially written by Zac Gorman and illustrated by CJ Cannon.
August 2015: Season 3 Renewal
In August 2015, Adult Swim renewed Rick and Morty for a third season, following a successful second-season premiere.
October 2015: Season 2 Airing Concludes
In October 2015, the second season of Rick and Morty concluded, having aired Sundays at 11:30 pm ET/PT from July and comprising ten episodes.
January 10, 2016: Canadian Premiere on Adult Swim
On January 10, 2016, Rick and Morty premiered in Canada on Adult Swim.
March 2016: Tom Fowler's Story Arc Begins in Rick and Morty Comic
In March 2016, artist Tom Fowler began a multi-issue story arc for the 'Rick and Morty' comic book series.
April 1, 2017: Season 3 Premiere (April Fool's Prank)
On April 1, 2017, the third season of Rick and Morty premiered unannounced as part of an April Fool's Day prank.
October 2017: Season 3 Airing Concludes
In October 2017, the initial airing of Rick and Morty's third season concluded; originally intended to consist of fourteen episodes, the season ultimately comprised only ten due to production delays.
February 26, 2018: McDonald's Szechuan Sauce Returns Due to Rick and Morty
On February 26, 2018, McDonald's Szechuan Sauce returned to their menu nearly twenty years later, due to popular demand from 'Rick and Morty' fans after being referenced in "The Rickshank Rickdemption."
May 15, 2018: Season 3 DVD and Blu-ray Release
On May 15, 2018, the 10-episode third season of Rick and Morty was released on DVD (2-disc set) and Blu-ray (single BD-50 disc), including special features.
May 2018: Long-Term Deal Announced
In May 2018, Adult Swim announced a long-term deal with the creators of Rick and Morty, ordering 70 new episodes over an unspecified number of seasons.
May 18, 2018: Quebec Premiere on Télétoon la nuit
On May 18, 2018, Rick and Morty premiered in Quebec on Télétoon's Télétoon la nuit block.
August 29, 2018: Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons Comic Released
On August 29, 2018, the four-issue crossover comic 'Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons', co-written by Jim Zub and Patrick Rothfuss, with art by Troy Little, was released.
September 2018: Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons: Chapter II: Painscape Published
In September 2018, 'Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons: Chapter II: Painscape', a sequel mini-series written by Jim Zub and Sarah Stern with art by Troy Little, was published.
2018: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2018, Rick and Morty won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, recognizing its critical acclaim for writing, originality, creativity, and humor.
May 2019: Season 4 Debut Announcement
In May 2019, the fourth season of Rick and Morty was announced to debut in November 2019.
November 10, 2019: Season 4, Part 1 Premiere
On November 10, 2019, the first five episodes of Rick and Morty's fourth season began airing.
November 2019: Season 4 Debut
In November 2019, the fourth season of Rick and Morty debuted.
2019: Roiland Expresses Desire for R-Rated Film
In 2019, Show creator Justin Roiland said that he would love to make an R-rated Rick and Morty feature film.
January 2020: Channel 4 Airing of Season 4 (UK)
In January 2020, Channel 4 in the United Kingdom was originally scheduled to premiere Season 4 of Rick and Morty; viewer complaints resulted in the broadcaster moving the first episode forward to November 20 on E4.
January 2020: Alleged Incident of Domestic Battery
In January 2020, Justin Roiland allegedly committed an act of domestic violence towards an unnamed woman he was dating at the time, leading to later charges.
May 3, 2020: Season 4, Part 2 Premiere
On May 3, 2020, the remaining five episodes of the fourth season of Rick and Morty began airing.
2020: Second Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 2020, Rick and Morty won its second Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.
May 20, 2021: Vindicators Spin-off Announced
On May 20, 2021, Adult Swim announced a short spin-off series centered on the Vindicators team to be in development.
June 2021: Producer Confirms Interest in Rick and Morty Film
In June 2021, producer Scott Marder confirmed that the creators and crew hope to eventually produce a Rick and Morty feature film, stating that it is more a question of "when" rather than "if".
2021: Rick and Morty Cameo in Space Jam: A New Legacy
In 2021, Rick and Morty made a cameo appearance in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy', claiming to have experimented on the Tasmanian Devil and returning him due to being disgusted with the results.
March 31, 2022: McDonald's Szechuan Sauce Returns Again
On March 31, 2022, McDonald's Szechuan Sauce once again returned to McDonald's stores, featured as an app-only exclusive until April 4.
May 18, 2022: Adult Swim Announces 'Rick and Morty: The Anime' Spin-Off
On May 18, 2022, Adult Swim announced a full spin-off series based on the anime shorts, 'Rick and Morty: The Anime', directed by Takashi Sano.
July 2022: Vindicators 2 Release
In July 2022, the 10-episode series, Vindicators 2 was released.
September 4, 2022: Season 6 Premiere
On September 4, 2022, the sixth season of Rick and Morty premiered.
2022: Wendy's and Adult Swim Collaborate on Rick and Morty Promotion
In 2022, Adult Swim and Wendy's collaborated on commercials featuring the titular duo and created Morty-themed food trucks and restaurants. Wendy's offered Rick and Morty-inspired combo meals exclusively on Uber Eats and brought back their "Portal Time Lemon Lime" soft drink to promote the series' sixth season. The promotion also featured a giveaway of Rick and Morty merchandise.
2022: Zack Snyder Expresses Interest in Directing
In 2022, American filmmaker Zack Snyder expressed interest in directing a Rick and Morty science fiction movie.
2022: Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition Nominated for Eisner Award
In 2022, the Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition, by Rothfuss, Zub, and Little, was nominated for the "Best Graphic Album—Reprint" Eisner Award.
2022: Rick and Morty Production Staff Files for Union Election
In 2022, the production staff at Rick & Morty filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board in a bid to join The Animation Guild.
January 2023: Roiland Charged with Domestic Battery
In January 2023, Justin Roiland was charged with felony domestic battery and false imprisonment in Orange County, California, related to an alleged incident in January 2020.
January 2023: Renewal Through Season 10
In January 2023, it was confirmed that the long-term deal had renewed the series through to a tenth season.
March 2023: Criminal Charges Against Roiland Dropped
In March 2023, the Orange County District Attorney's office dropped all criminal charges against Justin Roiland due to insufficient evidence.
April 27, 2023: Hearing Scheduled for Roiland
A hearing was scheduled for April 27, 2023, regarding the felony domestic battery and false imprisonment charges against Justin Roiland.
September 2023: Adult Swim Reveals New Voices
In September 2023, Adult Swim revealed the new voices for Rick and Morty in its seventh season trailer, after cutting ties with Justin Roiland.
October 15, 2023: Season 7 Premiere with New Voice Actors
On October 15, 2023, the seventh season of Rick and Morty premiered, revealing Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden as the new voice actors for Rick and Morty, respectively, after Adult Swim cut ties with Justin Roiland.
October 15, 2023: Season 7 Premiere
On October 15, 2023, the seventh season of Rick and Morty premiered.
January 2024: Production Delay due to Writers Guild Strike
In January 2024, it was revealed that due to the recent Writers Guild strike, production was delayed and thus made it so the eighth season of the regular series would not be released until 2025, though an anime series would in 2024.
2024: Series Renewal through Season 12
In 2024, it was announced that Rick and Morty had been renewed through to a twelfth season.
May 25, 2025: Season 8 Premiere
On May 25, 2025, the eighth season of Rick and Morty premiered.
July 25, 2025: Spin-Off Series Focusing on President Curtis Announced
On July 25, 2025, a spin-off series focusing on President Curtis was announced at San Diego Comic-Con.
2025: Season 8 Release Postponed
Due to the Writers Guild strike, the eighth season of the regular series would not be released until 2025, though an anime series would in 2024.
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