A Rick and Morty movie is officially happening! Co-creator Dan Harmon confirmed the exciting news with CinemaBlend ahead of the show's Season 9 debut on the 2026 TV schedule. Not only that, but Harmon told us the previously rumored project will be helmed by series vet Jacob Hair. Keeping it in the family. Such is the Smith way.
I had a chance to speak to Harmon and showrunner Scott Marder about the wild and whimsical ninth season, which took place after a rumor hit the web seemingly confirming the film's existence. The Community mastermind was able to confirm on the record that, yes, a movie is on the way, but not before joking that he couldn't comment on it.
I got to go get a coffee (laughs). We saw the same leak, and we are therefore, now able to confirm that there is a movie in the works. Jacob Hair is, is the director. I mean, we didn't shop around. He is an absolute, to say rock star is honestly feels like trivializing it because that implies like some kind of flash in the pan, kind of exciting. I mean, Jacob has it like came onto our team. It was like adding a pillar to it.
Now in charge of helming the upcoming movie, Jacob Hair has served as a supervising director for Rick and Morty for years. While he may not have the same name recognition as the Francis Ford Coppolas of the world, he's been with one of the best animated series of all time since Season 4, and per Scott Marder and Dan Harmon, he's the perfect fit for the job.
While we still have yet to learn if the movie is going to be in theaters or something exclusive to those with an HBO Max subscription, Marder talked about why Hair was the best choice for the movie. He pointed to the upcoming season as evidence of that, which I had a chance to view in its entirety ahead of the interview:
He's our supervising director. I mean, if [Season] 9 feels good to you, he's got a hand. He is responsible for that.
I already wrote my spoiler-free take of Rick and Morty Season 9, and will say, Marader has me very excited with his comment. I will say Season 9 felt like the best the series has been in a long time, and may ultimately stand on its own as one of the best seasons.
Dan Harmon continued his praise for Jacob Hair, saying the supervising director's name was immediately pulled as the choice for the Rick and Morty movie. He even compared him to former Community star Donald Glover, with the best compliment a creative can give:
I think when we started talking about a movie and could a movie happen and who would direct it, the first question was, 'Can Jacob do it?' Because that would be a dream, as opposed to going out and just getting somebody that did a great job on another animated thing. This is our guy, who has done some of the most amazing work on the show. It's like the director version of Donald Glover in that I don't know if there's a limitation to what he can do; we haven't found it yet.
While Warner Bros. Discovery executives might've preferred someone like Taika Waititi or Steven Spielberg, both Harmon and Marder are pretty thrilled they get someone with experience working on Rick and Morty to helm the movie.
Hopefully, with the impending merger between Paramount Skydance and WBD, this movie doesn't get lost in the mix. Additionally, we've seen how long it's taken the Community movie to get off the ground, though unlike that fandom, Rick and Morty fans have new episodes to enjoy in the meantime.
Rick and Morty is renewed up until Season 12, and will have its milestone Season 10 next year. It's an impressive achievement in the modern television climate, in which guaranteed seasons are less and less of a commodity. Suddenly, "100 years of Rick and Morty" doesn't sound so crazy, especially with this movie on the way.
We eagerly await more details on the Rick and Morty movie, with Season 9 set to premiere on Adult Swim on May 24th. I can't wait to see the widespread reaction to it, and have a feeling we'll see a lot of classic fans of the series back on board.
