Adult Swim cut ties with Justin Roiland following the news that the rick and morty co-creator was accused with a felony of domestic violence in Orange County.
“Adult Swim has terminated its association with Justin Roiland,” Mairie Moore said in a statement Tuesday.
Adult Swim distributes rick and morty, the hit adult animated comedy that Roiland co-created and executive produced, and for which he voiced both the titular Rick and Morty. As The Hollywood Reporter reported on January 17Adult Swim isn’t even halfway through a massive 70-episode order for the show, one of the brand’s most popular titles, ordered by the channel in 2018.
Sources say rick and morty is set to continue, with Roiland’s voice roles set to be recast. Although Roiland will still be credited as a co-creator, his co-creator Dan Harmon will now serve as sole showrunner. The show is locked until season 10.
Roiland still has several projects in the works with Hulu, including as co-creator of the streamer’s solar opposites, on which he plays a main character (the series was renewed for a fifth season in October). On the platform koala man, which premiered on January 9, Roiland does voice work and is also an executive producer. Roiland also still has an overall deal with 20th Television Animation, which produces solar opposites and koala man. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Hulu and 20th Television Animation for comment.
At January 12, NBC News was first to report the news that Roiland has been charged with one count of domestic battery bodily harm and one count of false imprisonment by threat, violence, fraud or deception in Orange County on the basis of an alleged 2020 incident that year with an unnamed Jane Doe whom Roiland was dating. Roiland pleaded not guilty and was released in 2020 on $50,000 bond. Several preliminary hearings have already taken place and Roiland is due back in court on April 27.
In a statement earlier this month, Roiland’s attorney, T. Edward Welbourn, said media coverage of the case was “inaccurate”. Welbourn added, “To be clear, not only is Justin innocent, but we also expect this case to be on the way to being dismissed once the district attorney’s office completes its methodical review of the evidence.”
Lesley Goldberg contributed reporting.
