Rick & Morty To Replace Justin Roiland With Sound-Alike Voice Actors
"Rick & Morty" will not be going the "Solar Opposites" route in its recast of Justin Roiland; at San Diego Comic-Con today, executive producer Steven Levy assured fans that the roles previously filled by the series co-creator and star will now be played by other actors who are "sound-alikes" (per Variety). The actors in question haven't been announced yet, but Levy also says the team is nearly done figuring out who will take on the role of mad scientist Rick and his teenage grandson Morty. "We are closing in on the end of our process of the recast, but I do want to say it's gonna be great," he told the assembled crowd at today's panel.
Adult Swim ended its relationship with Roiland in early 2023 after news broke that he was facing charges of domestic battery and false imprisonment. The charges were later dropped, but other accusations against the writer and voice actor emerged in the meantime, with more than one person alleging that Roiland sent them sexual messages when they were underage (per The Gamer). News also surfaced that Roiland had been investigated for inappropriate workplace conduct back in 2020.
Don't expect a voice-fixing ray to change anything
Another major Roiland-led animated series, Hulu's "Solar Opposites," decided to totally shake things up after parting ways with Roiland, and cast "Legion" and "Downton Abbey" star Dan Stevens as Korvo. That show's season 4 promo explained the alien character's sudden switch to a posh British accent with a hilariously ridiculous plot point involving a dartboard-related accident and a zap from a healing ray that went a bit awry.
It's a bold, funny move, but it makes a lot of sense for "Rick & Morty" to go a different route given how sensational its lead characters' vocal eccentricities have become. As Levy put it, "The characters are the same characters," and audiences should expect "no change" when they return for season 7. Guys who are ready to break out a "Rick & Morty" impression at a moment's notice are a dime a dozen, so there's no telling who may end up taking on the roles.
"I am thoroughly impressed with everything that's going on, including all the work on season 7," Levy told crowds assembled in San Diego today. "Truly, that's the thing I don't want to be overshadowed. The show is as good as it's ever been." Today's panel included a scene featuring animation in progress from the new season, but not completed scenes or a trailer. There's no word yet on when the new season will arrive, but per Variety's report, Levy says it'll be "pretty dang soon."