'Rick and Morty' Celebrates April Fool's Day With Season 8 Release Date and First Look

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For fans of Rick and Morty, this April Fool’s Day has been anything but a joke. Adult Swim celebrated with a special midnight live stream that brought to life some of the series’ most memorable scenes, including Pickle Rick and the iconic opening, in a 22-minute comedic stage anthology. The event concluded with an exciting announcement: the official release date and a sneak peek of Season 8, showcasing some of the wild new escapades awaiting the duo. New episodes are set to premiere on May 25 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, with the full season available for streaming in the U.S. starting September 1.

Details about what Season 8 will cover remain sparse, following the emotionally charged conclusion of Season 7. The official synopsis offers little insight, stating, “Rick and Morty is back for Season Eight! Life has meaning again! Anything is possible! Watch for adventures with Summer, Jerry, Beth, and the other Beth. Perhaps Butter Bot will receive a new assignment? Whatever unfolds, you can’t keep Rick and Morty down for long. People have tried!” However, the first-look footage and accompanying images hint at intriguing developments, including the discovery of a peculiar, multicolored eggshell and a location filled with bunny masks. While the show still has numerous mysteries to unravel, it promises plenty of lighter adventures, such as a cryoship heist gone awry like this one.

Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen expressed excitement about the announcement, saying, “We hope you enjoyed our theater interpretations of Rick and Morty, especially if you’re affluent and impulsive enough to want to fund a Broadway version of the show. For everyone else, we’re pleased to inform you of Season Eight’s start date, so you have time to stretch and prepare because the team has once again created a fantastic season of television.” Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden will reprise their roles as the beloved sci-fi comedy duo, with Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell, and Spencer Grammer returning to the cast. Series co-creator Dan Harmon continues as an executive producer alongside showrunner Scott Marder.

‘Rick and Morty’ Season 8 Is Far From the End for the Series

As Season 8 approaches, Rick & Morty boasts two Emmy wins for Outstanding Animated Series, four seasons as the top-rated comedy on cable, and a spin-off anime that, despite mixed reviews, underscores the show’s worldwide impact. Following the success of Season 7, which was Adult Swim’s top program upon its debut, the network renewed the show for two more seasons at New York Comic-Con last year, adding to its original 70-episode deal from 2018. After the Season 7 finale, executive producer Steve Levy hinted at the show’s long-term trajectory in an interview, suggesting that Morty will undergo more introspection following his experience in the Fear Hole. This deeper exploration is set to unfold not just in Season 8, but throughout the series:

“This is a good question. While Rick is grappling with understanding himself better, we haven’t had a deep dive into Morty’s character yet. This will be the first time Morty reflects on his relationship with Rick and what he truly desires. This is just the initial step in that journey.”

Rick and Morty Season 8 will debut on May 25 on Adult Swim. Episodes will be available for digital purchase the day after airing, and the entire season will stream starting September 1. Don’t miss the first-look teaser below, check out the images in the gallery above, and rewatch the live stream on the Adult Swim YouTube channel if you missed it.