Production of Season 7 is going ahead as planned though
Adult Swim has announced that it will be cutting all ties with Rick & Morty co-creator and voice actor Justin Roiland, following the revelation that he is facing charges for domestic battery and false imprisonment.
Roiland pleaded not guilty to these charges in 2020 and is awaiting trial after being charged with corporal injury and false imprisonment by menace, fraud, violence or deceit. The charges relate to a January 2020 incident against an unidentified woman Roiland was living with and dating at the time.
In a statement on Tuesday evening (January 25), Adult Swim, which distributes the hit adult cartoon show, said: “Adult Swim has ended its association with Justin Roiland.
“Rick and Morty will continue. The talented and dedicated crew are hard at work on Season 7.”
Roiland co-created the show with Dan Harmon and voiced the characters of Rick and Morty. Sourced have told the Hollywood Reporter that the characters will now be recast and Harmon will take sole control of the show.
— Rick and Morty (@RickandMorty) January 24, 2023
Roiland was charged in May 2020 over the incident.
A criminal complaint obtained from prosecutors in Orange County, California charged Roiland, 42, with corporal injury and false imprisonment by menace, fraud, violence or deceit against the woman.
In a statement earlier this month, Roiland’s attorney T Edward Welbourn said: “Not only is Justin innocent but we also have every expectation that this matter is on course to be dismissed once the district attorney’s office has completed its methodical review of the evidence.”
Several have since made further allegations on social media against Roiland, including predatory behaviour and the alleged grooming of minors, the Gamer reports.
this is the same grown man who groomed me from age 15. my entire high school experience was getting sexually groomed by a man i thought was mentoring me. worst part? he’s done so much worse to SO many others. he’s a violent criminal and there is no denying it anymore. https://t.co/jBqqHL4Iga
— the demon seed of davey jones (@opossumopunk) January 12, 2023
This was literally his response to me telling him about my childhood sexual trauma. At the time he was drunk and we were just getting to know each other. In context with all the other information about him out there now – yes he is a fucking insane creep pic.twitter.com/5r4v5CQOAG
— arlo (@arlocado) January 12, 2023
Roiland and Harmon created the animated sci-fi sitcom about a mad scientist and his grandson. It has aired for six seasons on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim night-time programming block, and has been renewed for a seventh.
The decision to continue with the show as oppose to cancelling it all together is likely down to the fact that Adult Swim signed a 70-episode order for the show in 2018. This would take it up to a tenth season. Currently, it is not even halfway through this commision.
Rick & Morty is scheduled for release in Summer 2023, although it remains to be seen whether this ends up being pushed back now that the two titular characters will need to be recast.
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