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We’ve known about Rick and Morty season 6 since 2018, when Adult Swim ordered 70 new episodes of the animated comedy. Based on the show’s tendency to release 10 episodes per series, this should take us all the way up until season 10. However, while it has been confirmed, we don’t yet know exactly when the new season will be released. There’s been no official announcement and the creators have been pretty quiet about when the show could return. In fact, we’ve had more news about Rick and Morty seasons 7 and 8, which are currently being written according to producer Rob Schrab (opens in new tab).
To tide us over, Adult Swim has also confirmed there will be an anime spin-off on its way, set in the Rick and Morty universe. As well as that, there will be a first look at the new digital spin-off series Rick and Morty: The Vindicators at San Diego Comic-Con (opens in new tab). And while we may not have a Rick and Morty season 6 release date just yet, we’ve taken a look at previous patterns of releases, along with everything confirmed so far about the latest season. From our best theories to who’s who in the cast, read on for our ultimate guide to the new season.
No Rick and Morty season 6 release date, but production is underway
Rick and Morty season 4 ended in 2020, season 5 ended in 2021, so all signs point to a 2022 release date for Rick and Morty season 6. Right?
Let’s hope so. While we can’t predict the impact COVID (and other factors) will have on production, we do already know that work is well underway on writing season 6 of Rick and Morty – if not already finished.
In 2020, Dan Harmon revealed at Adult Swim Con that production has started rolling on seasons six and seven. “We’ve got all these writers out to script season 6, and we’ve spent the last couple of months with new writers talking about season 6,” Harmon said at the time.
“It’s a crazy situation to be in because this show has notoriously kept everyone behind schedule. The artists have always been waiting for scripts. And now, finally, we’re trying to change that game and have them always have something to draw, while we move ahead. And so we’re there now.”
Fast forward to August 2021 and writer Cody Ziglar tweeted out that things had wrapped on season seven, indicating that at least part of Rick and Morty season six was in the can.
Producer Scott Marder even offered up an update on season six’s progress during the Interdimensional RSS podcast (via ComicBook.com (opens in new tab)). He said, “We’re towards the end of writing season 7 right now. We’ve really gotten the show moving, but that’s to say season 6 is animating, everything’s in the process.”
This all echoes what Jerry’s voice actor Chris Parnell told us in 2020: “There’s going to be less of a wait,” Parnell said of the breaks between future seasons.
Given the accelerated process compared to previous years – and using the past two seasons as a barometer – we can expect the sixth season to land in mid-to-late 2022. September-November is probably the likeliest window for the big return. The show is now approaching a steady rhythm and won’t take much more than 12 months to be back on our screens thanks to the Adult Swim order. Throw in confirmation that Rick and Morty has a panel at Adult Swim’s Block Party in August (H/T ComicBook.com (opens in new tab)) and we could be just months away from a release date announcement, if not the show’s return itself.
Rick and Morty season 6 cast
As far as we know, the regulars are back and locked in for Rick and Morty season 6. That means Justin Roiland is reprising his roles – and likely damaging his vocal chords – as both Rick and Morty. Sarah Chalke should return as Beth alongside Chris Parnell as Jerry and Spencer Grammer as Summer.
The show has started using guest stars more liberally in recent years. The likes of Elon Musk, Taika Waititi, and Steve Buscemi have appeared across the past two seasons. Given the show’s popularity, we can expect the same caliber again in season 6 of Rick and Morty – though none have been announced as of writing.
We’re also still waiting on Dan Harmon to fully pay homage to his previous cult comedy, Community. The main cast of Greendale’s study group have nearly all shown up in Rick and Morty, with some exceptions.
Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash, and Joel McHale have all had a part to play in the series. Yvette Nicole Brown and Danny Pudi may not be far behind, while Donald Glover’s probably a harder get.
Rick and Morty season 6 story: how the show has been turned on its head
Rick and Morty typically ends with a season finale that upsets the status quo. In previous years, the show has introduced Space Beth, killed off Birdperson, and sent Rick to space jail. Season five, somehow, topped all that – and could be setting up either a wilder or more restrained sixth season. It speaks to the show’s barmy premise that both those outcomes are just as likely as the other.
Need a refresher? Season five ended with Evil Morty blowing up The Citadel and destroying the Central Finite Curve. That newly introduced construct was used by Ricks to wall off any realities and universes that didn’t feature a version of Rick that wasn’t the smartest person in that universe.
That’s not only been destroyed, but Evil Morty has made a way towards one such universe where Rick isn’t the top dog. What could he find there? It’s probably not going to be good – and ‘our’ Rick and Morty aren’t likely to catch up with him any time soon either.
That’s because, thanks to the portal fluid used in Evil Morty’s masterplan, there’s a very real chance that Rick C-137 won’t be able to freely hop across the multiverse. That also extends to the other Ricks we’ve seen in the show.
The change introduces a great deal of finality to a series that often laughs in the face of logic and shrugs off any real consequences. Rick could very well be treading on eggshells for the foreseeable future because, this time, he doesn’t get any do-overs.
Conversely, the opposite is true for Evil Morty. While he’s not likely to be a focal point in the upcoming season, his adventures hold an infinite amount of potential now that we know even Rick’s portal-hopping antics in recent seasons were quite literally walled off by the Central Finite Curve.
Or, given the show’s tendency to make everything a meta joke, everything will be back to normal by the second minute of the season six premiere.
Rick and Morty season 6 theories: what we want to see from a new season
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – we’d love to see Rick and Morty bringing more canon into its stories. The past season or so has already confirmed Rick’s backstory, revealed who Beth really is, and finally seen Evil Morty’s master plan put into action.
These are all things the show needs to carry with it as it moves forward. Rick is a deeply flawed, damaged man who hurts everyone around him. This is still a comedy, of course, but Rick and Morty is at its best when it can hit those emotional beats alongside the punchlines.
Given the Rick and Morty season 5 finale, we expect the series to treat canon more carefully in future. Standalone episodes should (and will) take precedent, but there’s always potential to head back to that well if need be.
The distinct lack of fluid to power Rick’s portal gun – Mountain Dew aside, we guess – might also lead to a slight descaling of the pair’s zany adventures. If they can’t hop from universe to universe, Rick might have to keep things grounded until they can flick through dimensions again.
Speaking of flicking through dimensions – we wouldn’t say no to the return of fan favorites Interdimensional Cable and Morty’s Mind-Blowers.
Relive the show’s greatest moments with our rundown of the best Rick and Morty episodes.
