Cartoon Network and Justin Roiland, co-creator of the series, have announced that they will be making another 70 episodes of cult hit animated show Rick and Morty.
The order represents a tripling of the total amount of Rick And Morty available: the first three seasons consisted of a total of 31 episodes.
The show’s co-creator Dan Harmon told GQ that the 70-episode deal came after a long negotiation process.
“It was a lot of back and forth, but Justin and I just needed enough episodes and the right kind of deal structure that would give us permission to do what we want to do, which is truly focus on the show,” he said.
“We got all that, and we’re both very excited.”
It is yet to be announced how the new episodes will be broken into season, or the timeframe for their production and broadcast - a fact alluded to in Roiland’s tweeted announcement.
If the new episodes follow the pattern of being made in blocks of ten or eleven episodes over 18-month periods, it could see the show remaining on air for the best part of a decade.
More Rick and Morty coming. Looking forward to all the tweets asking where it is! #theydrawingit pic.twitter.com/KZild3B9rP
— Justin Roiland (@JustinRoiland) May 10, 2018
While fans could reasonably have expected the sci-fi satire to be renewed, given its success, the size of the order is a surprise. The animation is shown on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim channel - and is ranked as one of the most watched shows among the millennial audience.
First transmitted in 2013, the animated series follows the adventures of scientist Rick and his grandson Morty, as they travel to different dimensions. It borrows loosely from the dynamic of the Back To The Future movies, having originated in a short parody of that film.
The show has inspired a massive fandom online, and last year led to chaos when a limited edition McDonald’s Szechuan dipping sauce re-released as a promotional stunt after being mentioned in the show wasn’t produced in enough quantities to satisfy enthusiasts.
