A new animated series set in the Rick and Morty universe, titled "President Curtis," is set to premiere immediately following the season 9 finale of the flagship show on Adult Swim. The announcement was made during a panel at the Annecy Festival, where showrunners Dan Harmon and James Siciliano shared insights into the show's inspiration and thematic direction.
The concept for "President Curtis" originated from the season 5 episode "Rick & Morty's Thanksploitation Spectacular," which featured an encounter between Rick and U.S. President Andre Curtis. Siciliano stated that the writers envisioned Curtis as an "8th grade boy who wants to be Batman," a characterization Harmon elaborated on by describing him as a "Bruce Wayne but a little dumber."
Harmon further likened the show's tone and premise to a blend of "The X-Files meets Community." In "President Curtis," the titular president and his staff will be tasked with governing the nation while simultaneously confronting a variety of science fiction and supernatural challenges. The series plans to delve into clandestine government operations, such as a secret prison located in the Bermuda Triangle that houses aliens and vampires. Another storyline will involve a powerful witch held captive at Camp David, requiring presidential rituals to maintain her confinement.
While Rick Sanchez often serves as a near-omnipotent protagonist, the showrunners indicated that "President Curtis" will explore more grounded stakes. Siciliano explained that the series aims to maintain the franchise's signature blend of sci-fi, weirdness, and action, but with a focus on more terrestrial conflicts and a different set of character challenges.
The season 9 finale of Rick and Morty is scheduled to air on July 26, with the debut of "President Curtis" to follow.