History of Rick and Morty in Timeline

Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction sitcom revolving around the interdimensional adventures of Rick Sanchez, a cynical mad scientist, and his fretful grandson, Morty Smith. They navigate domestic life alongside travels to other planets and realities via portals and Rick's spaceship. The show balances family drama with misanthropic humor and outlandish scenarios.

2004: Roiland submits content to Channel 101

In 2004, Justin Roiland, then a producer on reality programming, began submitting content to Channel 101, a short film festival, where he met Dan Harmon.

2006: Creation of The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti

In 2006, Justin Roiland, after being fired from a television series, created "The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti" for Channel 101, which parodied Doc Brown and Marty McFly from the Back to the Future film trilogy.

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May 2012: Adult Swim unveils Rick and Morty pilot

In May 2012, Adult Swim unveiled its development slate that included a Rick and Morty pilot from Harmon and Roiland.

October 2012: Rick and Morty picked up to series

In October 2012, Adult Swim picked up the Rick and Morty pilot to series as one of the network's first primetime original shows.

2012: Adult Swim approaches Harmon and Roiland

In 2012, Adult Swim approached Dan Harmon to create a primetime show, leading Harmon to collaborate with Justin Roiland and develop the animated series Rick and Morty, based on Roiland's Doc and Mharti characters.

December 2013: First season premiere

In December 2013, the first season of Rick and Morty premiered on Adult Swim.

2013: Roiland acknowledges inspiration from The Simpsons

In a 2013 interview, Justin Roiland acknowledged that his cartooning style is heavily influenced by The Simpsons, while also comparing his style to that of Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time) and J. G. Quintel (Regular Show).

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February 2014: Second Season Renewal

In February 2014, Rick and Morty was renewed for a second season by Adult Swim.

April 2014: First Season Conclusion

In April 2014, the first season of Rick and Morty concluded, comprising eleven episodes.

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, titled "BAM!", was released. Initially, the series was written by Zac Gorman and illustrated by CJ Cannon.

Rick and Morty Compendium Vol. 1

Check it on Amazon

August 2015: Third Season Renewal

In August 2015, Adult Swim renewed Rick and Morty for a third season.

October 2015: Second season conclusion

In October 2015, the second season of Rick and Morty concluded, comprising ten episodes.

January 10, 2016: Series premiere in Canada

On January 10, 2016, Rick and Morty initially premiered on Adult Swim in Canada.

March 2016: Tom Fowler's Story Arc Begins in Rick and Morty Comic

In March 2016, artist Tom Fowler began writing a multi-issue story arc for the Rick and Morty comic book series. This arc continues the comic book's premise of alternate timelines.

April 1, 2017: Third season unannounced premiere

On April 1, 2017, the third season of Rick and Morty premiered unannounced as part of an April Fools' Day prank.

October 2017: Third season initial airing conclusion

In October 2017, the initial airing of the third season of Rick and Morty concluded, comprising ten episodes due to production delays.

February 26, 2018: McDonald's Szechuan Sauce Returns

On February 26, 2018, McDonald's announced the return of their Szechuan Sauce to all stores due to the popular demand from Rick and Morty fans after its reference in "The Rickshank Rickdemption."

May 15, 2018: Third season released on DVD and Blu-ray

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).

May 2018: Long-term deal for 70 new episodes

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: Series premiere in Quebec

On May 18, 2018, Rick and Morty premiered on Télétoon's Télétoon la nuit block in Quebec.

August 29, 2018: Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons Comic Released

On August 29, 2018, the first issue of the four-part crossover comic series Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons was released. The comic was co-written by Jim Zub and Patrick Rothfuss, with art by Troy Little.

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, was published. It was written by Jim Zub and Sarah Stern, with art by Troy Little.

2018: Primetime Emmy Award Win

In 2018, Rick and Morty won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, recognizing the show's critical acclaim.

May 2019: Fourth season debut announced

In May 2019, it was announced that the fourth season of Rick and Morty would debut in November 2019.

November 10, 2019: Fourth season premiere

On November 10, 2019, the first five episodes of the fourth season of Rick and Morty began airing.

November 2019: Announcement of fourth season premiere

In November 2019, the fourth season of Rick and Morty was announced to debut.

2019: Roiland expresses desire for R-rated film

In 2019, show creator Justin Roiland stated that he would like to create an R-rated Rick and Morty feature film.

January 2020: Alleged domestic incident

In January 2020, an alleged domestic incident occurred involving Justin Roiland, leading to subsequent charges in 2023.

January 2020: Season 4 scheduled premiere on Channel 4

In January 2020, season 4 of Rick and Morty was originally scheduled to premiere on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.

May 3, 2020: Fourth season continues airing

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 series announced

On May 20, 2021, Adult Swim announced a short spin-off series centred on the Vindicators team to be in development.

June 2021: Producer confirms film hopes

In June 2021, producer Scott Marder confirmed that the creators and crew hope to eventually produce a Rick and Morty feature film.

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. Voiced by Roiland, they experimented on the Tasmanian Devil, found the results disgusting, and returned him to LeBron James and the Looney Tunes.

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March 31, 2022: McDonald's Szechuan Sauce Returns Again as App Exclusive

On March 31, 2022, the McDonald's Szechuan Sauce returned once again, 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, titled Rick and Morty: The Anime, with Takashi Sano as the director.

July 2022: Vindicators 2 released

In July 2022, the 10-episode series, Vindicators 2 was released.

September 4, 2022: Sixth Season Premiere

On September 4, 2022, the sixth season of Rick and Morty premiered.

2022: Snyder expresses interest in directing film

In 2022, American filmmaker Zack Snyder expressed interest in directing a Rick and Morty science fiction movie.

2022: Wendy's and Adult Swim Collaborate on Rick and Morty Promotion

In 2022, Wendy's and Adult Swim collaborated on commercials featuring Rick and Morty, Morty-themed food trucks and restaurants, and Rick and Morty-inspired combo meals exclusively on Uber Eats. Wendy's also brought back their "Portal Time Lemon Lime" soft drink to promote the series' sixth season and featured a giveaway of Rick and Morty merchandise.

2022: Rick & Morty production staff files for union election

In 2022, 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.

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.

Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons: Deluxe Edition

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January 2023: Roiland charged with felony domestic battery

In January 2023, Justin Roiland was charged with felony domestic battery and false imprisonment in Orange County, California, regarding an alleged incident in January 2020.

January 2023: Renewal through tenth season confirmed

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 of Rick and Morty

In September 2023, Adult Swim revealed the new voices of Rick and Morty in its seventh season trailer, but the new actors were not announced until the season’s premiere.

October 15, 2023: Season seven premiere reveals new voice actors

On October 15, 2023, the seventh season of Rick and Morty premiered, revealing Ian Cardoni as the new voice of Rick and Harry Belden as the new voice of Morty.

October 2023: Seventh season premieres with new voice actors

In October 2023, the seventh season of Rick and Morty premiered with Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden replacing Justin Roiland as the voices of Rick and Morty, respectively, after Adult Swim cut ties with Roiland.

January 2024: Production delays and Anime announcement

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.