'Rick and Morty' Co-creator Justin Roiland Out From Adult Swim Following Domestic Abuse
Adult Swim cut ties with Justin Roiland, and "Rick and Morty" will recast his voice roles.
The announcement that "Rick and Morty" co-creator Justin Roiland had been charged with felony domestic assault in Orange County led to Adult Swim severing ties with him.
Adult Swim's Senior Vice President of communications, Marie Moore, announced on Tuesday that the network was no longer working with Justin Roiland.
— Rick and Morty (@RickandMorty) January 24, 2023
Justin Roiland co-created and executive produced the adult animated comedy "Rick and Morty," distributed by Adult Swim.
Adult Swim is only halfway through a mammoth 70-episode order for the show, one of the brand's most popular titles commissioned by the channel in 2018, The Hollywood Reporter noted.
According to insiders, "Rick and Morty" will go on without Justin Roiland but with new voice actors. Though Dan Harmon, who also worked on the series with Roiland, will now serve as the sole showrunner, the former will always be credited alongside Harmon.
The show is signed to run until season ten. Roiland is still working with Hulu on several fronts; he co-created and voices a prominent character in the show "Solar Opposites" (the show was renewed for a fifth season in October).
"Koala Man," created by Roiland and launched on the platform on January 9, features his voice work and serves as an executive producer on the project.
In addition to his work on "Solar Opposites" and "Koala Man" for 20th Television Animation, Roiland is still under an overall contract with the studio.
Hulu and 20th Century Fox Television Animation have been contacted by The Hollywood Reporter for comment.
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Justin Roiland's Case
Roiland appeared in court earlier this month concerning an ongoing criminal case in California. He is being prosecuted for felony domestic abuse charges, including battery and false detention.
Even though he has pleaded not guilty, the actor and showrunner have publicly said nothing about the accusations against him. The announcement followed the release of "High On Life," developed by Justin Roiland studio Squanch Games.
— Squanch Games (@SquanchGames) January 25, 2023
The controversial comedy FPS was an instant hit with fans and became the year's biggest Game Pass release.
However, as reported by Kotaku, in 2018, the company was sued by a former employee for sexual harassment.
The lawsuit did not name Justin Roiland, but it did allege that the studio failed to provide a safe and equal workplace and that the employee was fired in reprisal for her complaints.
Squanch Games initially contested the claims but ultimately reached a settlement to avoid going to court.
"Squanch Games is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment for our team," a spokesperson for the studio told Kotaku earlier this month. "We don't publicly disclose personnel matters, and we stand by our decision in 2017 not to reveal confidential information as it relates to this case."
Roiland's future as CEO of Squanch Games has not yet been addressed in an official announcement.
Justin Roiland's Career
Justin Roiland is well-known for his work with Dan Harmon on the animated series "Rick and Morty," which premiered in 2012.
Roiland provides the voice for Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith, his grandson. Over its six seasons on Adult Swim, "Rick and Morty" has consistently been one of the network's highest-rated series, per Polygon.
A total of 70 additional episodes were commissioned by Adult Swim in 2018, giving the show enough content for another ten seasons.
Justin Roiland founded Squanch Games (formerly known as Squanchtendo) in 2016. Four games have been developed and published by the studio thus far: Accounting, Dr. Splorchy Presents: Space Heroes, Trover Saves the Universe and High on Life.
High on Life, launched in December 2022, soon became the year's most successful Game Pass launch.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
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