Getting real-life artists, politicians, and celebrities to voice themselves on animated comedies is a longstanding custom (suppose Al Gore on “Futurama,” Ryan Reynolds on “Household Man,” or principally any well-known particular person you may consider on “The Simpsons”). “Rick and Morty” has had loads of its personal movie star cameos, however these visitor stars normally find yourself enjoying new characters, slightly than fictionalized variations of themselves. However within the newest episode of “Rick and Morty” season 8, we get not one however two self-voiced cameos, from administrators Zack Snyder and James Gunn.
When you’re immersed in any respect in Comedian E-book Film Discourse Web (my condolences), you are already intimately accustomed to the methods through which these two filmmakers have been positioned reverse one another by sure followers. Snyder’s tackle Superman with 2013’s “Man of Metal” has been celebrated by a sure subset of his devoted followers, however many followers of the character discovered it altogether too darkish and violent for a hero typically depicted as a purveyor of peace. Together with his personal upcoming tackle the character, merely titled “Superman,” Gunn appears to be getting into a extra conventional course loyal to the Kal-El’s comedian historical past — proper all the way down to the kaiju fights.
In “Rick and Morty” season 8, episode 7, “Ricker Than Fiction,” Gunn options as a kind of villain character after “ruining” Rick and Morty’s favourite movie franchise. Snyder makes a smaller cameo within the Warner Bros. cafeteria, the place he encourages Gunn to up the motion and slow-mo issue on “Superman,” all whereas holding a lunch tray stuffed with creatine. In response to sequence govt producer Scott Marder, who spoke with Selection concerning the episode, “They had been good sports activities.” Apparently, each administrators are followers of the animated sci-fi comedy, in order that they had been completely satisfied to be part of it, even when it meant lampooning themselves a good bit.
There may have been much more Snyder/Gunn jokes on Rick and Morty
Regardless of what sure corners of the Reddit world might need you imagine, James Gunn and Zack Snyder are pals in actual life, and whereas their respective takes on the DC universe aren’t aligned, that is inevitable when completely different creatives tackle the identical topic. Making enjoyable of one another on “Rick and Morty” was an thought they each jumped on the likelihood to embrace, in keeping with Selection.
“If something, they laughed at something we threw at them,” govt producer Scott Marder advised the outlet. “There have been in all probability, frankly, much more digs and extra foolish issues we may have used. All they did was giggle it off.”
After all, the timing of this explicit “Rick and Morty” episode isn’t any coincidence. The sequence runs on Grownup Swim, which is owned by Warner Bros. — the “villain” of this newest episode. It is a cheeky little bit of free advertising and marketing to splice one of many studio’s hottest exhibits with a storyline pointing to its greatest movie launch of the 12 months.
James Gunn’s “Superman” opens in theaters on July 11, 2025.
