Adult swimming has cut ties with Justin Roiland following news that Rick and Morty the co-producer was charged with felony domestic violence in Orange County.
“Adult Swim has ended its relationship with Justin Roiland,” Adult Swim Communications/Cartoons/Boomerang svp Mairie Moore said in a statement Tuesday.
Swimming for adults distribute Rick and Morty, an adult animated comedy that Roiland co-created with an executive, and for which he provided the voices of Rick and Morty. Like Hollywood Reporter reported on January 17, Adult Swimming is not even halfway through the massive 70-episode order for the show, one of the brand’s most popular titles, which the channel launched in 2018.
Sources say Rick and Morty is slated to continue, and Roiland’s voice duties will be reprized. While Roiland will always be credited as a co-creator, co-creator Dan Harmon will now be the sole showrunner. The show has been wrapped up for season 10.
Roiland still has several projects going on with Hulu, including as a co-creator of the streamer Opposites of the sun, in which he auditions for the main character (the show was renewed for a fifth season in October). On the platform The 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 is producing Opposites of the sun and The Koala Man. Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Hulu and 20th Television Animation for comment.
On January 12, NBC News was the first to report that Roiland was charged with one count of domestic battery with bodily injury and one count of false imprisonment for threats, violence, fraud or deception in Orange County based on the alleged incident. 2020. that year with Jane Doe whom Roiland was dating. Roiland has pleaded not guilty, and in 2020 was released on $50,000 bail. Several pre-trial 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 have every expectation that this matter is on track to be dismissed once the district attorney’s office completes its systematic review of the evidence.”
Lesley Goldberg contributed reporting.
