Justin Roiland Fired From ‘Rick and Morty’: A Complete Timeline

Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s hit animated series Rick and Morty is gearing up for its anticipated return on Adult Swim, but with a major change – one of the co-creators is out. Roiland, also known for his work on Solar Opposites, is no longer associated with the show following his ongoing allegations of domestic violence, sexual harassment, and inappropriate behavior in the workplace. 

Not only is Roiland a co-creator of the series, but he also supported the show as a writer for several episodes spanning the first three seasons and voiced the two titular characters. With Roiland out of the picture, the network has recast the role for Season 7, which premieres October 15, 2023. 

However, Adult Swim is keeping the new actor/s a secret until the premiere to allow the show to “speak for itself,” per a report from The Hollywood Reporter.

As the countdown to the new season begins, many fans are catching wind of the unfortunate downfall of Roiland. Wondering why he was fired from Rick and Morty and what has transpired since? Here’s a timeline of allegations and events surrounding the TV creator’s controversial exit.

Why Was Justin Roiland Fired?

January 12, 2023: Roiland Charged With Domestic Violence

On January 12, 2023, NBC News reported that Roiland was facing multiple charges of domestic violence as the result of an incident that occurred in January 2020 involving an unidentified woman. The TV creator was charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit. Roiland pled not guilty and was released on a $50,000 bond, with a hearing set for April 2023.

January 12-19, 2023: Twitter Allegations Paint Roiland As A Predator

Following the news of the charges against Roiland, other people began sharing their inappropriate interactions with the TV creator on social media. The accusations stated that he was targeting fans, many of whom were underage. One accuser shared alleged messages from Roiland, in which he called them “jail bait” and made sexual comments toward them. Another claimed, “Justin Roiland has a track record of using social media to hit up and exploit vulnerable people and minors and I believe this is an open secret in the industry, he used my sexual trauma and my love for Rick and Morty to groom me,” and shared alleged messages of Roiland talking about his “kinks” and pressuring them to reveal personal information.

January 25, 2023: Adult Swim Separates From Roiland

On January 25, 2023, Roiland was dropped by Adult Swim, who shared in a statement, “Adult Swim has ended its association with Justin Roiland.” The official Twitter account for Rick and Morty confirmed that the series will continue without Roiland’s involvement, despite him being a co-creator. Harmon was named as the sole showrunner. Warner Bros. Discovery, Hulu, 20th TV Animation, and Squanch Games also terminated their relationships with Roiland, with the latter stating that Roiland resigned four days after the charges were made public.

February 7, 2023: Exposé Unveils Allegations From Staffers

On February 7, 2023, The Hollywood Reporter published an exposé featuring allegations from multiple staffers who stated that Roiland would discuss his sex life with them in the workplace and behave inappropriately. These allegations had prompted a formal investigation from Cartoon Network in 2020. In addition, former Mad magazine editor Allie Goertz told THR that Roiland messaged her while she was working on a Rick and Morty concept album, writing, “Can you write a song about 9 Dick’s of different sized and ethnic origins hanging above your face, and then in the lyrics describe how they each splatter you with semen.”

March 22, 2023: Domestic Violence Charges Against Roiland Are Dropped

On March 22, 2023, the domestic violence charges against Roiland were dropped due to a lack of evidence. Per Variety, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s office said, “We dismissed the charges today as a result of having insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.” Roiland posted on Twitter about the ruling and blamed the charges on an “embittered ex” trying to have him “canceled.” He wrote, “Now that the legal case has ended, I’m determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name.”

August 14, 2023: Solar Opposites Returns With Roiland Replacements

Roiland’s Hulu show Solar Opposites, co-created with Mike McMahan, returned for its fourth season on August 14, 2023. The disgraced showrunner previously played the lead role Korvo, but was replaced by British actor Dan Stevens. Roiland had voiced several secondary characters since the show’s initial release in 2020, including Chris the Red Goobler, who was recast with Eric Bauza in the role in Season 4’s “The Super Gooblers” episode.

September 13, 2023: More Allegations Against Roiland Come Out

On September 13, 2023, NBC News reported more allegations against Roiland involving sexual assault, grooming, and targeting minors online. The report included interviews from 11 people and “thousands of messages” that occurred from 2013 to 2022. One individual met with Roiland in person and claims that he sexually assaulted her and forced her to perform oral sex, and another stated that Roiland flew her to Los Angeles and she had sex with him and another women after drinking heavily. The latter says the situation left her “mentally traumatized.” Roiland’s lawyer called the allegations “false and defamatory.”

September 27, 2023: Harmon Responds to Allegations Against Roiland

On September 27, 2023, Harmon responded to the allegations against Roiland in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, and said that he was “ashamed and heartbroken.” The Rick and Morty co-creator shared, “Trust has now been violated between countless people and a show designed to please them. I’m frustrated, ashamed and heartbroken that a lot of hard work, joy and passion can be leveraged to exploit and harm strangers.”

October 15, 2023: Rick and Morty Returns for Season 7… Without Roiland

The new season of Rick and Morty is set to return without Roiland in the title roles. As Adult Swim has kept the new talent under wraps, fans have spun several theories, such as Roiland being replaced by artificial intelligence or his longtime collaborator Eric Bauza being the new voice actor. Following the release of the trailer on September 25, 2023, fans appeared impressed with the new character voices, and noted that they sounded nearly identical to Roiland’s original work. As of now, Roiland is no longer active on social media and has no new projects in the works.

If you or someone you know needs to reach out about sexual abuse or assault, RAINN is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at RAINN.org.