Adult Swim has announced a significant change in the cast of its hit show Rick and Morty. Justin Roiland, the co-creator of the show who also provided the voices for the titular characters and various supporting roles, will be replaced in the upcoming Season 7.
The decision to part ways with Roiland comes in light of allegations of domestic battery and false imprisonment that were previously leveled against him. Adult Swim, along with several other entities associated with the filmmaker, severed their professional relationship with him in response to these charges. Although all accusations have now been withdrawn, Roiland will no longer lend his voice to the characters of the acclaimed Rick and Morty series.
The development was discussed at the Annecy International Festival in France by Steve Levy, the executive producer of the show, and Michael Ouweleen, the president of Cartoon Network. Levy suggested that he didn’t anticipate the audience noticing the new voice actors, while Ouweleen drew parallels to the voice actor transitions that the character of Bugs Bunny underwent over the years.
Ouweleen remarked, “The work Jeff Bennett has done with [Bugs Bunny] is commendable. However, it’s not Mel Blanc, and yet, the character remains familiar to us!”
The seventh season of Rick and Morty, along with an anime spin-off project, is scheduled for release later this year. Further information about these upcoming projects will be revealed in due course.
