Getting real-life artists, politicians, and celebrities to voice themselves on animated comedies is a longstanding custom (assume Al Gore on “Futurama,” Ryan Reynolds on “Household Man,” or principally any well-known individual you’ll be able to consider on “The Simpsons”). “Rick and Morty” has had loads of its personal superstar cameos, however these visitor stars normally find yourself enjoying new characters, moderately 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.
If you happen to’re immersed in any respect in Comedian E-book Film Discourse Web (my condolences), you are already intimately acquainted with 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. Along with his personal upcoming tackle the character, merely titled “Superman,” Gunn appears to be getting into a extra conventional route loyal to the Kal-El’s comedian historical past — proper right 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 filled with creatine. Based on sequence govt producer Scott Marder, who spoke with Selection in regards to the episode, “They had been good sports activities.” Apparently, each administrators are followers of the animated sci-fi comedy, so that they had been joyful 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 may need you consider, James Gunn and Zack Snyder are associates in actual life, and whereas their respective takes on the DC universe are not aligned, that is inevitable when completely different creatives tackle the identical topic. Making enjoyable of one another on “Rick and Morty” was an concept they each jumped on the probability to embrace, in accordance with Selection.
“If something, they laughed at something we threw at them,” govt producer Scott Marder instructed the outlet. “There have been most likely, 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 specific “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 reveals with a storyline pointing to its greatest movie launch of the yr.
James Gunn’s “Superman” opens in theaters on July 11, 2025.