‘Rick And Morty’ Gets Massive 70-Episode Renewal By Adult Swim; Creators Dan Harmon & Justin Roiland Ink New Deal
t took a long awhile but Rick and Morty is getting a fourth season. And a lot more than that. Adult Swim has ordered a staggering 70 new episodes of the popular animated series as part of a new long-term deal with the show’s creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland. That is more episodes than Rick and Morty‘s first three seasons combined (31 episodes).
The massive pickup, rarely seen these days, underscore Rick and Morty‘s outsized success. Its most recent Season 3 finale delivered Adult Swim’s highest ratings in history and helped the show claim the title of #1 comedy across all of television for 2017 with millennials. Rick and Morty also has become a multi-platform sensation not just on television, but across digital, gaming, livestreaming, retail, and fan experiences.
“Rick and Morty is truly what a modern day hit looks like across multiple screens and multiple touchpoints,” Christina Miller, President Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, said at the time of the Season 3 finale in October.
It also has become a gold standard for what an adult animated comedy should be now, with a number of networks looking to emulate its success with a hit in its mold.
The well received adult animated sci-fi comedy follows a sociopathic genius scientist who drags his inherently timid grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Rick and Morty premiered on December 2, 2013, and wrapped its third season on October 1, 2017.
In the months since, Harmon and Roiland have been occasionally updating fans on the show’s status. Harmon recently noted that contract negotiations had “gotten complicated this time around.” Given the size of the renewal, that comment makes sense.
In celebration of the new deal, the Rickmobile will return for a country-wide tour beginning May 17 in Atlanta, GA. The mobile pop-up shop will be offering new exclusive, custom-designed show collectibles at more than 50 stops, including San Diego Comic Con in July.
Meanwhile, Harmon celebrated the news this morning in the shower.
