KEY POINTS
- Adult Swim cut ties with Justin Roiland after it emerged he is facing domestic violence charges
- “Rick and Morty” will reportedly continue without the show’s co-creator
- The voice roles for the titular characters will reportedly be recast
“Rick and Morty” will go on despite Adult Swim’s decision to cut ties with co-creator Justin Roiland.
On Tuesday, the cable channel formally announced that it had cut ties with Roiland following the news that he was charged with felony domestic abuse three years ago.
“Adult Swim has ended its association with Justin Roiland,” Mairie Moore, the senior vice president of communications at Adult Swim/Cartoon Network/Boomerang, said in a statement released via The Hollywood Reporter.
Adult Swim is the distributor of “Rick and Morty,” the animated series Roiland co-created with Dan Harmon and executive produced. The show is one of the channel’s most popular titles.
Earlier this month, the 42-year-old animator made headlines for appearing in a court hearing to face charges filed against him by the Orange County District Attorney in southern California in May 2020.
The case was about an incident that happened to a woman identified as “Jane Doe” in the criminal complaint obtained by NBC News. The woman was reportedly dating Roiland at the time. He was arrested and released on a $50,000 bond in August 2020.
As previously reported, Roiland faces one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit. He pleaded not guilty in October 2020.
Roiland’s departure would mean a lot to the animated series since he is voicing both of the titular characters, Rick and Morty. However, sources assured The Hollywood Reporter this week that the show will continue without him.
Roiland’s voice roles would be recast, according to the anonymous insiders, who also noted that he would still be credited as co-creator. Meanwhile, Harmon would be the lone showrunner moving forward.
Deadline also reported that Roiland’s exit will not affect “Rick and Morty” and that the characters that had been voiced by Roiland would be recast.
It’s unlikely for the show to get canceled since it’s been locked in through Season 10. THR also learned that Adult Swim isn’t even halfway through the massive 70-episode order for the series commissioned by the cable channel in 2018.
Meanwhile, Roiland’s attorney, T. Edward Welbourn, has maintained his client’s innocence. He said the media coverage of Roiland’s case has been “inaccurate,” and they wish to clear his name and reputation in court, according to THR.