Cartoon Network Wanted Morty Recast After Rick And Morty Pilot Pitch – Looper

Studios and creative types have always had a push-and-pull relationship, but it’s wild to look back 10 years later and think about how close we came to a world where the network stopped two of pop culture’s most iconic voices from making it to the screen.

“[…] The network did not like my voices at all for ‘Rick and Morty,'” Justin Roiland told Vanity Fair in 2020. “Lazzo hated it,” he continued, referring to since-retired Adult Swim executive vice president Mike Lazzo. “I think a lot of people were like, ‘ugh. We like this show a lot, but the voices are f***ing terrible.'”

By Roiland’s recollection, “Rick and Morty” co-creator Dan Harmon convinced the executives to allow Roiland to stick around as Rick, but changes had to be made in order to sell him as a bankable Morty. Even Roiland admitted that his original take on the character was “really obnoxious and grating,” and that it played better once he gave Morty a little more of what he referred to as a backbone.

All of which is moot now, since Justin Roiland and Adult Swim parted ways in 2023 following the aforementioned allegations of domestic violence, which, you know, just felt important to bring up one more time.