Rick and Morty Movie Officially Confirmed with Top-Tier Director

Image: Adult Swim

The interdimensional chaos of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty is officially leaping from your living room to the big screen. With the season 9 premiere set for May 24, series co-creator Dan Harmon has confirmed to Cinemablend that a feature film is officially in the works, with supervising director Jacob Hair set to helm the project.

Since joining the crew during season 4, Hair has been the creative force behind some of the show’s most celebrated episodes. Whether it’s Rick’s quest for the perfect private toilet, the absurd hilarity of the snake planet, or the poignant, soul-crushing tragedy of Morty’s reset device, Hair has proven his ability to weave high-concept sci-fi with genuine emotional stakes. Given his track record of delivering tight, cinematic storytelling in 22-minute bursts, his transition to a full-length feature holds massive potential.

According to showrunner Scott Marder, fans can get a preview of the movie’s tone by keeping a close eye on the upcoming ninth season. As the supervising director, Hair oversees the creative vision for every episode, ensuring the animation’s DNA remains consistent. Harmon also noted that tapping Hair for the director’s chair was a deliberate, inspired choice, prioritizing someone intimately familiar with the show’s soul over an outside director seeking a simple animation gig.

While rumors of a cinematic Rick and Morty outing have circulated for years, recent leaks forced the studio’s hand, leading to Harmon’s confirmation. The process began back in October 2023, when Harmon first hinted at initial development meetings.

“My philosophy is simple: take a standard Rick and Morty adventure, give it a feature-film budget, and stretch it to 90 minutes,” Harmon explained. “It’s not about reinventing the wheel with a jarring shift in tone; it’s about crafting the ultimate, high-octane episode that feels earned on the big screen.”

Ultimately, it appears the film will double down on the signature, high-concept sci-fi absurdity that fans crave. Whether the story will serve as a standalone epic or weave directly into the series’ ongoing lore remains to be seen. With four seasons still ahead and potential for even more, the future of the franchise looks brighter—and stranger—than ever.

Source: Polygon