Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon has expressed a strong desire to continue the animated series for a century, drawing parallels to the enduring success of shows like The Simpsons and South Park. Harmon stated that the nature of animation allows for the series to be designed for an eternal run, with no immediate plans to conclude its story.
Adult Swim, the network home for Rick and Morty, is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary and is focused on supporting its long-running successful programs. Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim, highlighted the importance of these established shows while also seeking out new talent. He described the network's strategy as a portfolio approach, aiming for a variety of tones and creators, and emphasizing that creators should not be forced to produce content when they are no longer inspired.
"If Michael fires us, he’ll give us a heads-up so we’ll be able to make it our last season," Harmon said during a panel discussion. "Until then, I think our job is 100 years of Rick and Morty. The show must go on until we all get replaced with AI."
Adult Swim has a history of fostering what Ouweleen calls "serial creation," where showrunners develop multiple projects with the network. This approach extends to both established creators and newer talent who grew up watching Adult Swim programming. The network is also preparing for the July release of "President Curtis," the first spinoff of Rick and Morty, and season 12 of the main series is reportedly in development.