Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon reacts to the response to the season 7 recasting of the titular characters, previously voiced by Justin Roiland.
SUMMARY
- Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon believes that the majority of viewers are satisfied with the casting choices for season 7.
- Harmon acknowledges that some people insist the new voices are significantly different, but most viewers are accepting and believe the characters are still vibrant.
- The decision to cast two actors for Rick and Morty and hire other voice actors for recurring roles highlights the challenge of filling the void left by the departure of Justin Roiland.
Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon reacts to the online discourse regarding the season 7 recasting. Before the season 7 premiere, the comedy show was left in a tough position when former star and co-creator Justin Roiland was axed from the series after sexual abuse allegations and toxic work behavior came to light.
After auditioning hundreds of voices for the titular roles, Rick and Morty's team ultimately cast Ian Cardoni as Rick and Harry Belden as Morty. Now, Harmon responds to the viewers' reactions to the Rick and Morty season 7 voice actors.
Speaking with io9, the co-creator believes that the majority of viewers are relatively happy with the casting choices. Furthermore, Harmon admits that there is a contingent of “people that are insisting that the voices are somehow unignorably, catastrophically different.” Check out the full quote from Harmon below:
"I think the silent majority and healthy majority are like, ‘Okay, this is as good as you can manage.’”
“The characters are still alive. That was the goal from the outset; fans of the show, consider them fans of the characters, and they just want to continue to watch the show and feel that those characters are still alive, and it seems that we were successful in that mission.
I think that there is an air of religious zealotry to the people that are insisting that the voices are somehow unignorably, catastrophically different. I think that most people seem to be saying, ‘Okay, it sounds like Rick, and it sounds like Morty, let’s proceed.’”
Why Rick and Morty’s Casting Decision Is A Blessing and a Curse
Rick and Morty’s recasting was extremely difficult for two main reasons. First, Roiland not only voiced Rick and Morty but also lent his vocals to copious side characters throughout the show. Second, Rick and Morty decided to cast a soundalike in the role rather than reinvent the wheel completely.
It is in contrast to how Solar Opposites approached this recasting, where Korvo's voice was revamped with Dan Stevens taking over the role after Roiland was also dismissed from the show.
The attempted solution to Rick and Morty season 7 was to cast two actors rather than a singular talent to voice Rick and Morty, respectively. Secondly, the show hired other voice actors to fill recurring roles, such as the iconic Mr.
Poopybutthole, rather than put pressure on Cardoni and Belden to portray multiple characters. While this approach makes it easier for each cast member to focus on their respective roles and be proactive, the situation also highlights how much of a void Rick and Morty has to fill in Roiland’s absence.
Casting soundalikes always comes with challenges since comparisons between the original and the new are inevitable. That has already been the case with the Rick and Morty recasting, where some viewers have noticed the characters' tonal differences and voice execution. While there is bound to be criticism, Rick and Morty will move forward with this new era of casting as season 7 continues its run on Adult Swim.
