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Justin Roiland is officially nixed from Rick and Morty, with the network and production team confirming that all his voice roles will be recast. While talking to Premiere, two top heads who matter for the show stated that in the in-development season 7 post-production, Roiland “will be replaced in dubbing.” The president of broadcaster Cartoon Network told the French publication, however, that imitators won’t be hired for the job while implying that Roiland’s replacement is difficult to find. He expressed hope for a smooth “transition.”
Since he co-created the animated adult sitcom and also provided the voices for the title protagonists, Justin Roiland's involvement with Rick and Morty was huge. As a result, when Discussing Film shared the update on Twitter, it left netizens divided. One user remarked that they should "cancel" the show altogether and "move on."
Justin Roiland landed in some serious legal soup when NBC News disclosed in January this year that he was put behind bars on grave domestic violence charges in Orange County, California, in 2020. After the report surfaced, several people, including musician Allie Goertz and minors, came forward, accusing him of predatory behavior.
Goertz's harrowing episode reportedly happened when she was working on a Rick and Morty concept album. Justin Roiland was also accused of s*xually harassing a show writer and other such uncomfortable behavior in his office, which prompted Cartoon Network and its late-night branch Adult Swim to launch a probe in 2020.
Rick and Morty season 7 likely to be released in September
Soon after, in January 2020, Rick and Morty axed Justin Roiland from their roster. Recently, the sitcom’s co-executive producer, Steve Levy, and Michael Ouweleen, Cartoon Network President, told Premiere that they are "still in the recruitment process" for Roiland’s replacement and that it's "looking good."
“Listen: voices are obviously super important in an animated series. And, of course, none of us wanted to go through what we went through. If the voices are obviously a big part, there is also the writing of the characters, their design... I have reason to believe that the transition will go well,” Ouweleen added.
Meanwhile, Levy said:
“The writing quality has never been better, and all the screenwriters have stayed. I don't think anyone will bat an eyelid hearing the new voices.”
Either way, netizens are not convinced. When the pop culture portal Discussing Film disclosed the recasting update, they flooded Twitter with comments, with some questioning the decision given that the Orange County District Attorney dismissed all charges against Justin Roiland in March 2023.
For now, there’s no release date attached to Rick and Morty season 7, but rumors suggest that it may be a September premiere, just like the previous installment.
All six seasons of Rick and Morty are available to stream on Hulu and HBO Max.
