AlthoughThe Simpsonsset an extraordinary record when the show hit the big screen 17 years ago,Rick and Mortymight just be able to match this achievement in years to come.TheRick and Mortymoviehas been in the works for some time, but the cult hit still hasn’t made the transition to cinema screens.Rick and Mortyseason 8is set to arrive in 2025 and the rapturous reception ofRick and Mortyseason 7’s endingbodes well for its future, with itsIMDbrating proving thatRick and Mortycan still impress critics.
Rick and Morty Made Its Secret Thanksgiving Special Tragic (But Season 8 Can Change That)
Rick and Morty’s secret Thanksgiving episode gave a happy ending to one fan-favorite character, only for subsequent seasons to tear this away.
That said, it would take a lot forRick and Mortyto successfully mount a feature-length theatrical movie debut.The Simpsonswas one of the biggest television hits of all time when the show began in the ‘90s, and it still took the animated family comedy a good 17 years beforeThe Simpsons Moviewas released. The Simpsons Moviedid admittedly go on to become the highest-grossing film based on an animated TV show, and the only one that came close to beating this record wasDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train. However, its production process was lengthy.
Only A Rick And Morty Film Could Break The Simpsons Movie’s Box Office Record
The Simpsons Movie Is The Highest Grossing TV Cartoon Adaptation Ever
As well as being the most lucrative movie based on a TV cartoon ever,The Simpsons Movieis the second-highest-grossing 2D animated film of all time afterThe Lion King. On a budget of only $75 million,The Simpsons Movieearned over $530 million at the box office when it was released in July 2007. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36might have a hard time repeating that feat due to the show’s dwindling viewership in the intervening years, this remains a singularly impressive record. It is tough to imagine any television adaptation beatingThe Simpsons Movie’s record.
Many ofRick and Morty’s most ambitious episodes, like season 5’s finale “Rickmurai Jack” and season 7, episode 5, “Unmortricken,” could have worked as full-length movies.
However,Rick and Mortyhas a better shot any other animated TV show. For one thing, the cult hit has a massive fanbase and a lot of high-profile cameos, just likeThe Simpsons. For another,Rick and Mortyis even more suited to the big-screen format thanThe Simpsons.The Simpsonsmight take place in a wacky, outlandish cartoon reality where anything is possible, butRick and Mortyis an outright sci-fi show through and through. Many ofRick and Morty’s most ambitious episodes, like season 5’s finale “Rickmurai Jack” and season 7, episode 5, “Unmortricken,” could have worked as full-length movies.
The Simpsons Movie’s Box Office Run Is Even More Impressive 17 Years Later
The Simpsons Movie Still Hasn’t Been Beaten At The Box Office
This being said,it is hard to overstate how impressiveThe Simpsons Movie’s box office record is. In 2024 dollars according tothe CPI’s inflation calculators, the movie made a staggering $812,274,000. This would have made it the fourth highest-grossing movie of 2024 ifThe Simpsons Moviewas released 17 years later, after onlyInside Out 2,Deadpool & Wolverine, andDespicable Me 4. AlthoughThe Simpsons Moviewas only the eighth highest-grossing movie of its release year, this is more due to the impressive blockbuster slate at the time. If anything, this makes the individual performance ofThe Simpsons Moviemore impressive in retrospect.
Holding its own in 2007, let alone setting a record, was undeniably a massive achievement forThe Simpsons Movie.
In the yearThe Simpsons Movie’s box office recordwas set, the movie faced competition from a newHarry Pottermovie, the final installment of the originalPirates of the Caribbeantrilogy, the thirdShrekmovie, the thirdSpider-Manmovie, andTransformers. The Oscar-winningRatatouillewas the only animated movie to beatThe Simpsons Movieand, were it released only one year later,The Simpsons Movie’s only major box office competition would have beenHancockandMamma Mia. Thus, holding its own in 2007, let alone setting a record, was undeniably a massive achievement forThe Simpsons Movie.
Why Not Even A Rick And Morty Movie May Be Able To Break The Simpsons’ Record
It would be extremely difficult forRick and Morty’s movie adaptation to out-earnThe Simpsons Moviefor numerous reasons, most notably its rating. Like the TV-MA series,Rick and Morty’s movie spinoff would almost certainly be an adults-only affair.Rick and Morty’s episodes are extremely violent, profane, and full of adult content, so there is no reason to believe the movie would be any different. While outliers likeDeadpool & Wolverine prove that R-rated blockbusters can happen, outdoingThe Simpsons Moviewould be far harder thanks to this additional hurdle. After all, the movie would already need to overcome its format.
Out-earningThe Simpsons Moviestill isn’t beyond the realms of possibility for the show’s theatrical spinoff.
Although plenty of animated movies have fared well at the box office, adult animated movies aren’t reliable box office performers. For every hit likeThe Simpsons MovieorSouth Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, there is an inexplicable flop likeThe Bob’s Burgers Movie.Rick and Mortydoes have a bigger fan base than that cult series, but the show isn’t as popular aspost-Golden AgeThe Simpsonswas in 2007.The Simpsonscommanded a huge audience back then, whileRick and Mortyhas always been slightly more niche. That said, out-earningThe Simpsons Moviestill isn’t beyond the realms of possibility for the show’s theatrical spinoff.
What A Rick And Morty Movie Should Look Like To Be As Big As The Simpsons
Rick and Morty’s Movie Would Need To Follow The Simpsons’ Blueprint
ForThe Rick and Morty Movieto outperformThe Simpsons Movie, the spinoff would need to get numerous things right.The Rick and Morty Moviewould have to be a standalone story that still feels like part of the show, which might be tricky thanks to the show’s semi-serialized storytelling style. Seasons 6 and 7 of the series follow Rick’s attempts to hunt down his enemy, Rick Prime, after season 5’s finale revealed the existence of this nemesis, and the movie would need to balance existing plots like this with an accessible story that casual fans could follow.
This would admittedly be a challenge for the show sinceRick and Morty’s season 5 Thanksgiving episodesaw the series start its gradual lean toward a more serialized storytelling format in the years that followed. However,The Rick and Morty Moviecould still pull this off. Provided the movie feels like the original show, maintaining its unique tone while offering a bigger, more ambitious story that couldn’t be told in an ordinary episode, the movie should be able to succeed. In this case,The Simpsonsmight have a reason to worry aboutRick and Mortycatching up with them at the box office.
Rick and Mortyseason 8 is expected to arrive in 2025.
