Top 10 Rick and Morty Cameos in Other Movies and Shows
#10: Portal Guy “Family Guy” (1999-2003;2005-)
Series co-creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon have made no secret of the fact that they were inspired by “The Simpsons,” so this cameo, and on-screen explanation are a little surprising. When Stewie pulls out Rick Sanchez’s portal gun during “Family Guy’s” season 19 episode “PeTerminator” and uses it, one assumes it’s a little nod. His follow up line of how “Rick and Morty” borrows a lot from “Family Guy” is a little odd, though. We’re not entirely convinced that’s the case. It’s in good jest however, as an earlier episode demonstrated how Rick and Morty are considered to be the new generation of animated comedy.
#9: My Little Morty “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” (2010-19)
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This little cameo certainly took some eagle-eyed fans to spot, but it is definitely there. Blink and you'll miss it, but a very Rick and Morty looking pair of ponies appear in the background of “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.” In the episode the two characters are waiting in line to ride the Wild Blue Yonder, a famous rollercoaster at a Las Pegasus theme park. Some on the internet had a minor meltdown when footage of this little cameo in Equestria was posted online, and not in a good way. For many fans of both shows, a cross-over is not welcome.
#8: Same Father… “Community” (2009-15)
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The idea for “Rick and Morty” was based around a parody of “Back to the Future.” It wasn’t until Dan Harmon was briefly let go from “Community” that he was able to team up with Justin Roiland and develop the idea further into the show we know and love today for Adult Swim. When Harmon returned to “Community,” he wasted no time referencing his new creation. Perhaps as a response to the “Community” cameo found in the animated series, during which a pot shot at NBC’s treatment of the show is taken, Abed and Rachel can be seen watching “Rick and Morty” in the episode "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking."
#7: Wanted: Rick “Krampus” (2015)
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Again, here we have another ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ moment in everybody’s favourite family friendly joyful holiday flick: “Krampus.” A wanted poster for Rick Sanchez can be seen several times adorning the bedroom wall of Max Engel, a boy who has lost his Christmas spirit. But when you consider a couple of other, more subtle, elements, the cameo has a bit more of a reason behind it. The poster itself is quite incongruous to the otherwise highly stylised aesthetic of the movie. Max, much like Rick Sanchez, becomes disillusioned with life. But when you realise that Justin Roiland portrays Clumpy, one of the movie's evil gingerbread men, it’s easier to see a link.
#6: A Literal "Rick and Morty" Cameo CollegeHumor
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When we said “Rick and Morty” cameos, we weren’t just referring to the characters… In this CollegeHumor sketch, a personified version of the show, takes on a toxic fan in the setting of a therapist’s office. This meta sketch examines some of the more toxic elements found in the show's fandom. The toxic fan represents stubborn audience members of “Rick and Morty” who believe the show is meant to be high-brow and that they are the only ones who truly get it. The fan eventually storms out in anger. While not a cameo in the traditional sense, this one does highlight what can happen when fans enjoy “Rick and Morty” a little too much.
#5: A Portal From Disney to Adult Swim “Gravity Falls” (2012-16)
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In case you missed it, “Gravity Falls” was a mystery-adventure series intended for children. The show spawned several spin-off media, and was created by Alex Hirsch who voiced Toby Matthews in the “Rick and Morty” episode “Big Trouble in Little Sanchez.” Hirsch is also friends with Justin Roiland, who voices various characters on the Disney show. It also explains why, when Grunkle Stan loses his pen, notebook and question mark coffee mug through a portal opened in “Gravity Falls” they reappear exiting a portal opened during “Rick and Morty.” The crossover may seem strange, given the completely different intended audiences of the two shows, but it works for us.
#4: A Flash of Rick and Summer “Justice League” (2017), “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” (2021)
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Getting into the differences between Joss Whedon’s and Zack Snyder’s version of “Justice League” would take more than one list. But when it comes to things that were left untouched during the reshoots, a “Rick and Morty” cameo is one. Rick and Morty can be seen on one of the screens in the background of Barry Allen's hideout when he is visited by Bruce Wayne. The short clip comes from the episode “Something Ricked This Way Comes,” where Rick and Summer bulk up to deliver beat downs to the Devil and other groups of people. This isn’t the last time “Rick and Morty” show up in other Warner properties.
#3: A Complex & Intelligent Animated Series “Paradise PD” (2018-)
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When Stanley Hopson is unceremoniously fired from “Paradise PD,” he ends up finding a new job as Morty. Of course they don’t outright name the show but do refer to it as a “complex, intelligent animated series.” “Paradise PD” also uses this moment to poke fun at “Rick and Morty” fans, much like the CollegeHumor sketch from earlier, characterising them in a derisive manner. In another jab, we also learn you can get an Emmy nomination for relating quantum physics to Mickey Rooney’s butt. It ends on a dark note, however, when the camera pulls back to reveal Rick’s corpse after having taken his own life. This is one of the few cameos that’s more critical of “Rick and Morty.”
#2: Making New Simpsons “The Simpsons” (1989-)
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Again, it’s easy to see how the “Rick and Morty” producers were informed by “The Simpsons.” They grew up at a time when the Springfield cast were adorning everything from T-shirts to candybars, not to mention that it is one of the longest running series of all time. In this unforgettable couch gag during season 26, Morty crashes Rick’s ship into the Simpsons’ living room, wiping out the family. To fix it, Rick sends Morty to have them recreated whilst he cleans the crime scene before ransacking the house and freezing Ned Flanders. This isn’t the only cross-over between the two shows as Dan Harmon later appeared in “Springfield Splendor,” where he was teaching his “story circle” writing technique.
#1: “He's your problem now, DUM-DUMS!” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (2021)
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Yep, there were a lot of cameos from Warner properties in “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” but this one really surprised us. With Justin Roiland reprising both roles, Rick and Morty show up to return the Tasmanian Devil to his rightful setting, after experimenting on him. Morty remarks that he will never be able to unsee what he saw, while Rick signs off with a signature disinterested insult. As with “Gravity Falls,” it’s unusual to see notoriously envelope-pushing Rick and Morty appear in a family-friendly setting. But let’s be honest, if the kids weren’t already aware of the Smith family’s goings-on, it’s because their parents, guardians or older siblings aren’t watching it.
