History of Rick and Morty in Timeline
Rick and Morty is an adult animated science fiction sitcom about the misadventures of Rick Sanchez, a cynical mad scientist, and his grandson Morty Smith. They navigate domestic life alongside interdimensional travel across infinite realities. Rick, often misanthropic, drags Morty into various hijinks, creating a dynamic blend of family drama and outlandish sci-fi scenarios, using portals and a flying saucer to explore other planets and dimensions.
2004: Roiland joins Channel 101
In 2004, Justin Roiland began submitting content to Channel 101, a short film festival, a year after its launch.
2006: Creation of "The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti"
In 2006, after being fired from a television series, Justin Roiland created "The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti" for Channel 101, which became the basis for Rick and Morty.
May 2012: Rick and Morty Pilot Unveiled
In May 2012, Adult Swim unveiled its development slate that included a Rick and Morty pilot from Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland.
October 2012: Rick and Morty Picked Up to Series
In October 2012, Adult Swim picked up Rick and Morty to series.
2012: Harmon Approached for Animated Series
In 2012, after being briefly fired from Community, Dan Harmon was approached by Adult Swim to create a prime-time show, leading him to collaborate with Justin Roiland, which resulted in the development of Rick and Morty.
December 2013: Season 1 Premiere
The first season of Rick and Morty premiered in December 2013.
2013: Roiland Acknowledges Simpsons Influence
In a 2013 interview, Justin Roiland acknowledged the influence of The Simpsons on his cartooning style.
February 2014: Renewal for Second Season
In February 2014, Rick and Morty was renewed for a second season due to its strong performance.
April 2014: Season 1 Conclusion
The first season of Rick and Morty, comprising eleven episodes, concluded in April 2014.
April 1, 2015: Rick and Morty Comic Book Adaptation Debuts
On April 1, 2015, the Rick and Morty comic book adaptation debuted with its first monthly issue, entitled "BAM!". The series was initially written by Zac Gorman and illustrated by CJ Cannon.
August 2015: Renewal for Third Season
In August 2015, Adult Swim renewed Rick and Morty for a third season.
October 2015: Season Two Concludes
Season two of Rick and Morty, comprising ten episodes, concluded in October 2015.
January 10, 2016: Canada Premiere
Rick and Morty initially premiered in Canada on Adult Swim on January 10, 2016.
March 2016: Tom Fowler Writes Multi-Issue Story Arc for 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.
April 1, 2017: Surprise Season 3 Premiere
Rick and Morty's third season premiered unannounced on April 1, 2017, as an April Fool's Day prank.
October 2017: Season Three Concludes
The initial airing of the third season of Rick and Morty concluded in October 2017, consisting of only 10 episodes due to production delays.
February 26, 2018: McDonald's Szechuan Sauce Returns to Menu
On February 26, 2018, McDonald's Szechuan Sauce returned to their menu nearly twenty years later after being referenced in "The Rickshank Rickdemption". The sauce was announced to return to all McDonald's stores due to popular demand from Rick and Morty fans.
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 and Blu-ray, including special features like commentary, animatics, and behind-the-scenes content.
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.
May 18, 2018: Quebec Premiere
Rick and Morty premiered in Quebec on Télétoon's Télétoon la nuit block on May 18, 2018.
August 29, 2018: Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons Comic Released
On August 29, 2018, the four-issue crossover comic series Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons was released. The series is 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, the sequel mini-series Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons: Chapter II: Painscape 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.
May 2019: Season 4 Announcement
In May 2019, the fourth season of Rick and Morty was announced to debut in November 2019.
November 10, 2019: Season 4 Premiere (Part 1)
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 an R-Rated Rick and Morty Film
In 2019, show creator Justin Roiland stated his desire to create an R-rated Rick and Morty feature film.
January 2020: Alleged Domestic Incident
In January 2020, an alleged domestic incident involving Justin Roiland occurred, leading to felony charges in 2023.
January 2020: Season 4 on Channel 4
Season 4 of Rick and Morty was originally scheduled to premiere on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom in January 2020, before being moved forward to November 20, 2019 on E4 due to viewer complaints.
May 3, 2020: Season 4 Premiere (Part 2)
On May 3, 2020, the remaining five episodes of Rick and Morty's fourth season began airing.
2020: Second Primetime Emmy Award
In 2020, Rick and Morty received 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, previously seen in "Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender."
June 2021: Hope for a Rick and Morty Feature Film Confirmed
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, both voiced by Roiland, made a cameo appearance in Space Jam: A New Legacy. In the movie, they claimed to have experimented on the Tasmanian Devil but were disgusted by the results and returned him to LeBron James and the Looney Tunes.
March 31, 2022: McDonald's Szechuan Sauce Returns as App Exclusive
On March 31, 2022, McDonald's Szechuan Sauce once again returned to 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, which will be directed by Takashi Sano.
July 2022: Vindicators 2 Released
In July 2022, the 10-episode series, Vindicators 2, was released.
September 4, 2022: Season 6 Premiere
September 4, 2022, marked the premiere of Rick and Morty's sixth season.
2022: Wendy's and Adult Swim Collaborate on Rick and Morty Promotion
In 2022, Adult Swim and Wendy's collaborated to create commercials featuring Rick and Morty. 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's Interest in Directing Rick and Morty Movie
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 Unionization Bid
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: Series Renewed Through Tenth Season
In January 2023, it was confirmed that the long-term deal had renewed the Rick and Morty 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's Case
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 Season 7 Trailer
In September 2023, Adult Swim released the seventh season trailer revealing "soundalikes" would replace Justin Roiland's voice work.
October 15, 2023: Season 7 Premiere with New Voices
On October 15, 2023, Rick and Morty's seventh season premiered, revealing Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden as the new voices for Rick and Morty, replacing Justin Roiland.
January 2024: Production Delays and Anime Series Announcement
In January 2024, it was revealed that the Writers Guild strike caused production delays for Rick and Morty's eighth season (pushed to 2025), though an anime series would air in 2024.
2024: Series Renewed Through Twelfth Season
In 2024, it was announced that Rick and Morty had been renewed through to a twelfth season.
May 25, 2025: Season 8 Premiere
May 25, 2025 marks the premiere of the eighth season of Rick and Morty.
2025: Eighth Season Release Delayed
Due to production delays related to the Writers Guild strike, the eighth season of the regular Rick and Morty series would not be released until 2025.
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