Rick and Morty Creators Celebrate the Marvel Multiverse Saga’s Educational Aspect

Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, the creators of Rick and Morty, have praised the Marvel Cinematic Universe's ability to educate audiences on the concept of the multiverse.

In an interview with ComicBook.com, the pair expressed admiration for how the recently established Multiverse has captured the imagination of the public, with Harmon saying, "It feels fantastic. I mean, as an earthling, I'm just so happy that we now have a shorthand human to human [interaction] that even a 15-year-old kid that I run into on the street, if I'm talking to them about different things like that, we can just have a shorthand for the idea that of infinite universes."

The Adult Swim series, which premiered in 2013, has offered a unique take on the concept of the multiverse, but Harmon stated the influence can be traced back to comic books. "I feel like blessed and lucky that we kind of got in on the ground floor of it," he said. "We did not invent it as everybody knows. You know, we stole it from comic books and science, then Marvel was only reclaiming it by starting to incorporate it into the film universe."

Roiland, who also voices both of the titular characters, weighed in on the debate, noting how the films are inherently fun despite occasional plot holes."If you're going to get really logical about it, they've got inconsistencies... but I just turn that part of my brain off and enjoy it," he said. "As long as they're doing it, and they're going to go there and really commit to multiverse sh-t, I'm so there for it. It's some of the best like cinematic sh-t in terms of just all the crazy criss cross. And it's just amazing. So I think it's all really cool, and I'd want to see more of it."

Multiverses and Madness

The Multiverse has been at the forefront of two recent MCU films, with both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness depicting the clashing of several worlds, with the former going so far as to temporarily connect the MCU to Sony's previous Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man franchises, along with Venom.

Rick and Morty follows the titular duo as they travel across the universe, getting into all sorts of mischief along the way. The show has enjoyed widespread popularity and critical acclaim since its premiere, with many praising its wit and the vocal performances of its star cast.

Rick and Morty Season 6 is scheduled to premiere on Sept. 4, 2022.