After more than a decade of multiverse-hopping on Adult Swim, Rick and Morty is finally plotting its leap to the big screen—and creator Dan Harmon is looking to a legendary film franchise for inspiration. In an exclusive chat at the Annecy International Film Festival, Cartoon Network president Michael Ouweleen revealed that Harmon is channeling the spirit of Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones series for the upcoming movie.
“These guys understand story and adventure better than anybody,” Ouweleen said. “What Dan would want to do with the Rick and Morty movie is that he indelibly remembers going to see the Indiana Jones movies, so he's solving for that feeling of walking out. He's like, 'I want to replicate the feeling of walking out and hitting the sidewalk having just seen an Indiana Jones.' And you know he holds himself to a high bar, so that's the bar he's holding himself to on that thing.”
While details remain under wraps, the movie is in active development alongside the show's ninth season, which kicks off next month, and the upcoming spin-off President Curtis, starring Keith David. Ouweleen assured fans that the film will welcome both diehards and newcomers, insisting “you won't have to have studied Rick and Morty.” As for a title? “Oh, God, no,” he laughed.
For those unfamiliar, Rick and Morty debuted in 2013 as a twisted spin on the Doc Brown–Marty McFly dynamic from Back to the Future. Rick Sanchez is a nihilistic, alcoholic super-scientist who drags his anxious grandson Morty across the multiverse on chaotic adventures. The family also includes Morty's mom Beth (Sarah Chalke), her hapless husband Jerry (Chris Parnell), and hedonistic sister Summer (Spencer Grammer). After Justin Roiland was dropped in 2023 amid domestic abuse allegations, Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden took over as the voices of Rick and Morty.
This won't be Adult Swim's first theatrical outing—Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters hit screens in 2007, though its launch was overshadowed by a Boston bomb scare tied to its marketing. But with Harmon aiming for the Spielbergian high of an Indiana Jones adventure, expectations are sky-high.
For more on the animation world, check out our exclusive sneak peek at the art behind Spider-Man and Daredevil's animated clash. And if you're a fan of classic sci-fi, you might enjoy our list of 6 classic sci-fi films that should never get a remake.
No release date has been announced yet for the Rick and Morty movie, but stay tuned for updates as Harmon continues to craft what could be the most epic interdimensional adventure yet.
