Rick and Morty: The Movie

Theatrical release poster

***Rick and Morty: The Movie*** is a 2025 American animated sci-fi comedy film based on the television series *Rick and Morty.* It was directed by Wes Archer, who previously directed several episodes of the television series, and stars the show's regular voice cast along with Jared Leto, Rashida Jones, and Peter Capaldi voicing new characters. The events of the film take place after the eighth season finale of the series. It is the second film based off of an Adult Swim series, after *Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters*, and the fifth movie to be based on a series originating on Cartoon Network, after *The Powerpuff Girls Movie*, *Aqua Teen Hunger Force*, *Teen Titans Go! To the Movies*, and *Adventure Time: The Kingdom of Ooo*.

*Rick and Morty: The Movie* was released in the United States on March 7, 2025 and received largely positive reviews. It grossed $154 million worldwide against a budget of $24 million, beating out *Sausage Party*'s record for the highest-grossing R-rated animated film of all time.

The film is dedicated to the memory of C. Martin Croker, voice actor and animator for some of Adult Swim's earliest shows.

## Plot

Derek Grieco, a rival and former colleague from Rick's past, suddenly returns after many years and steals the plans to Rick's portal gun, with plans to mass-produce them. Rick and Morty are pursued by the Galactic Government for allowing the plans to fall into the wrong hands. It's up to the two of them to stop Grieco's plan, while Rick is finally forced to confront his past.

## Cast

* Ian Cardoni as Rick Sanchez/Other Ricks
* Harry Belden as Morty Smith/Other Mortys
* Chris Parnell as Jerry Smith
* Spencer Grammer as Summer Smith
* Sarah Chalke as Beth Smith
* Jared Leto as Derek Grieco, Rick's old colleague turned rival
* Rashida Jones as Deandra Winterblock-Sanchez, Rick's ex-wife
* Peter Capaldi as Roland Sanchez, Rick's father
* Laura Dern as Drizela Sanchez, Rick's mother
* Will Arnett as Mark Sanchez, Rick's brother
* Kristen Schaal as Sharon Sanchez, Rick's sister
* Janeane Garofalo as Mariam Smith, Morty and Summer's aunt and Beth's sister
* Cassie Steele as Tricia Lange
* Sean Dorrough as Mr. Meeseeks/Teddy Mason/Burning Alien/Szechuan Sauce Commercial Narrator
* Jon Allen as Mr. Poopy Butthole
* Dan Harmon as Birdperson
* Kari Wahlgren as Jessica/Diane Sanchez/Alien Hooker #2
* Brandon Johnson as Mr. Goldenfold
* Phil Hendrie as Principal Vagina
* Kiefer Sutherland as the Galactic Prison Warden
* Jess Harnell as Scary Terry/Policeman
* Tom Kenny as Squanchy/Alien Slave Driver/Cargo Passenger/TV Announcer
* Rob Paulsen as Snuffles/Snowball
* Dana Snyder as Sollix, an alien prisoner who helps Rick escape
* Carey Means as Zornax, an alien prisoner who Sollix has a grudge against
* Dave Willis as Gunch, another alien prisoner
* Kurtwood Smith as General Danny
* Echo Kellum as Brad
* Daniel Benson as Ethan
* Alex Hirsch as Toby Matthews
* Arin Hanson as Largo, an alien Grieco sells the plans to
* Tara Strong as Tinkles/Alien Hooker #1
* Maurice LaMarche as Abradolf Lincler/Doctor/Newscaster/Golfing Alien #2
* Jim Rash as Professor Mathis, Rick and Grieco's college professor
* Keith David as Dean Schump, Rick's college dean
* Seth MacFarlane as Ant King, an alien ruler who pursues Rick and Morty in the film's cold open
* Vince Offer as himself, appearing in an infomercial for the mass-produced portal guns
* DJ Khaled as himself, held captive and forced to perform at an alien club
* H. Jon Benjamin as the Guns R Us clerk
* George Lowe as space cop
* Kevin Smith as a delivery man
* Dan Castellaneta as Golfing Alien #1
* Brendon Small as a soldier
* Don Hertzfeldt as an alien bartender
* James Urbaniak as Cargo Driver
* Dan Avidan as the touchy-feely prisoner
* Ralph Garman as the guy who got the last packet of Szechuan sauce

Brad Abrell, Eric Bauza, Jackie Buscarino, Matt Chapman, Jeff Fischer, Hope Levy, Andy Merrill, Nolan North, Cristina Pucelli, Ryan Ridley, Sean Dorrough, Rob Schrab, Josh Robert Thompson, Kari Wahlgren, Adam Katz, Wes Archer, Dee Bradley Baker, Conrad Vernon, Fred Tatascoire, Jason Marsden, Tress MacNeille, Richard Kind, Kimberly Brooks, and Pendleton Ward provide additional voices.

## Production

This film was originally intended to be a television 'special' for *Rick and Morty* and air on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim as a TV movie. But when Warner Bros.' executives saw very early footage and early design plans for it, they were so impressed by it that they decided to grant the production of the film a theatrical-sized budget and release it theatrically; the show's ninth season was released after the movie.

## Release

### Marketing

In the weeks leading up to the film's release, Adult Swim ran a series of self-deprecating bumpers featuring characters from other Adult Swim shows. The bumpers featured characters from *Squidbillies*, *The Venture Brothers*, and *The Jellies* reacting to the news that *Rick and Morty* would be receiving a film adaptation and wondering why their respective shows had yet to receive movies. Another bumper in the series featured Master Shake and Meatwad from *Aqua Teen Hunger Force* boasting that they were the first Adult Swim series to have a movie, as well as bemoaning the cancellation of its sequel, *Death Fighter*.

A week before the film opened, McDonald's brought back its Szechuan sauce again, though the McDonald's advertising was not linked directly to the movie. Unlike previous instances, where the sauce was only distributed at select restaurants, the Szechuan sauce was available at all McDonald's restaurants nationwide.

### Theatrical release

On November 9, 2024, the film's theatrical release was announced to be March 7, 2025. The film opened at 3,546 theaters nationwide, the widest release for an R-rated animated movie, though it never expanded further. The film opened in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2025. The film was also available to stream on HBO Max in the United States 45 days after it released in theaters.

### Home media

*Rick and Morty: The Movie* was released for digital devices on May 13, 2025, followed by a Blu-Ray/DVD release one week later on June 3. Among the special features included on the Blu-Ray and DVD are a full-length audio commentary by series co-creator Dan Harmon, director Wes Archer, and writers Ryan Ridley and Eric Acosta, as well as 28 minutes worth of deleted scenes, a few of which were fully animated prior to being cut from the final film.

## Reception

### Box office

The movie grossed $42.7 million in its opening weekend, beating *Sausage Party*'s record for an R-rated animated film opening and was the fourth highest opening for a 2D-animated film behind *The Simpsons Movie*, *The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water*, and *The Lion King*, and the third highest for a fully-2D movie. The film grossed $96 million domestically and made $154 million worldwide. Domestically, it is the fifth highest-grossing animated film based on a television series, behind *The Simpsons Movie*, *The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water*, *Mr. Peabody and Sherman*, and *The Rugrats Movie*, as well as the fifth highest-grossing 2D-animated film not released by Disney (behind *The Simpsons*, *Sponge Out of Water*, *The Prince of Egypt*, and *Rugrats*).

### Critical reception

The film received critical acclaim, with an approval rating of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the humor, action, and animation, though some complained that certain jokes wouldn't make sense without a very high IQ. On Metacritic, the film has a 78 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

## Soundtrack

 Released
 Recorded
 Genre
 Length
 Label

The soundtrack, under the title *Rick and Morty: The Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack*, was released on February 28, 2025 by Williams Street Records and WaterTower Music, seven days before the film premiered in theaters.

The album features a mix of musical styles ranging from heavy metal, indie rock, and hip-hop; and also features new original music from Dethklok, The Lonely Island and Pharrell Williams. Two lead singles were released, prior to the soundtrack, for promotional purposes. Ian Cardoni and Logic's re-written film version of "Get Schwifty" was released as the first single on January 15, 2025, and its music video was released two months later, on March 9 (after the film's release). Usher and Travis Barker's song "Adventurous" was released as the second single from the album on February 14.

**Track listing**

1. "Space Haze" - Pharrell Williams
2. "Szechuan" - The Lonely Island
3. "Come With Me" - DJ Khaled
4. "Human Music" - Ryan Elder
5. "Death and Destruction" - Dethklok
6. "Something in the Air" - David Bowie
7. "Dreams of Grandeur" - Insane Clown Posse
8. "21st Century" - Bad Religion
9. "Born Too Slow" - The Crystal Method
10. "Goodbye Moonmen" - Jemaine Clement
11. "Great Gig in the Sky" - Pink Floyd
12. "More Human Than Human" - White Zombie
13. "Get Schwifty (Extended Movie Edition)" - Ian Cardoni ft. Logic
14. "Adventurous" - Usher ft. Travis Barker

### Songs featured in the film, but not in the soundtrack

* "Curley Shirley" - Otto Sieben
* "Party Party Party" - Andrew W.K.
* "Sussudio" - Phil Collins
* "Rocketeer" - Far East Movement

## Trivia

* This is the first ever feature film of the series.
* This is the first animated *Rick and Morty* movie to hit theaters.
	+ This is also the first ever Rick and Morty movie in general to hit theaters.
* This is Cartoon Network's seventh original program to get a theatrical release, after "*The Powerpuff Girls Movie*" released 22 years prior, "*Star Wars: The Clone Wars*" released 17 years prior, "*Regular Show: The Movie*" released 14 years prior, "*The Lego Ninjago Movie*" released 10 years prior, "*Teen Titans Go! To the Movies*" released 9 years prior and "*Steven Universe: The Movie*" released 8 years prior.
	+ Although, *Teen Titans Go!* and *Ninjago* are only aired by CN, and they’re made by Warner Bros.
* The second (and most recent) film based on an Adult Swim series.
* Cartoon Network's first R-Rated animated movie.
* Intended as a television special for *Rick and Morty* (2013). But, when Warner Bros.'s executives were shown very early footage, and early design plans for it, they were so impressed by it, that they decided to fund it for theatrical release.

## Transcripts

### Main Transcript

*Main article: Rick and Morty: The Movie/Transcript*
### Trailer transcripts

*Main article: Rick and Morty: The Movie/Trailer transcripts*
## Credits

*Main article: Rick and Morty: The Movie/Credits*