James Gunn and Zack Snyder feature on animated series 'Rick and Morty'
In an unexpected turn of events, filmmakers James Gunn and Zack Snyder made guest appearances in Season 8, Episode 7 ("Ricker Than Fiction") of the popular animated series, Rick and Morty. The duo portrayed fictionalized versions of themselves, adding a layer of playful self-parody to the episode.
The episode, written by Rob Schrab, revolves around Rick Sanchez's invention, the Movie-lizer, which allows him to rewrite the latest installment of a fictional movie franchise, Maximum Velocitree. When Rick and Morty get sucked into the film, they find themselves navigating the movie's world, with Jerry serving as their guide.
The episode features a humorous exchange between Gunn and Snyder, where Snyder pokes fun at Gunn's upcoming Superman film. Snyder reassures Gunn that Rick (from Rick and Morty) "doesn't represent real fans" and mentions how he "punished Christopher Nolan for Interstellar," hinting at a layer of playful rivalry and camaraderie between the two directors.
Behind the scenes, Rick and Morty executive producer Scott Marder revealed that both directors recorded their lines shortly after significant production milestones on Superman. Both filmmakers were enthusiastic about participating, openly laughing at the jokes and parody directed at them during the episode, with no objections or discomfort. Snyder even indicated a willingness to return for future episodes.
In the episode, Gunn's character is depicted as the antagonist, with an animated version of him portraying the director of Maximum Velocitree. As Rick and Morty protest the creative direction of their favourite blockbuster franchise, they confront an animated version of Gunn at Warner Bros. The meeting between the two animated directors is humorously depicted in the Warner Bros. cafeteria.
At the end of the episode, an emotional Gunn tearfully exclaims, "They out-done the Gunn!" after Rick and Morty create a 'better ending'. However, the episode does not provide details about any specific role or action Gunn took after his tearful exclamation.
Zack Snyder, a longtime fan of the show, asked to return after his appearance and offered to do anything for the show. However, the episode does not provide details about any specific 'tag' or 'thing' that Snyder offered to do for the show.
Both Gunn and Snyder have expressed their enthusiasm for being part of the Rick and Morty universe, with Gunn, who is also the CEO of DC Studios, appearing as a villain in the episode. The episode's meta-humour and pop culture relevance are enhanced by the appearances of these prominent filmmakers.
In the humorous exchange within "Ricker Than Fiction," movies-and-tv, particularly Gunn's upcoming Superman film, becomes a topic of playful banter between the directors. Meanwhile, entertainment icons James Gunn and Zack Snyder, post-episode, showed their dedication to the Rick and Morty universe, with Gunn proposing a possible return and offering noobjections to the pop-culture inspired parody directed at him.
