James Gunn and Zack Snyder Guest Star on Rick and Morty: How It Happened

If you ever thought Rick and Morty couldn’t get any more meta, this season probably changed your mind. Just when people were getting comfy with pickle jokes and portal guns again, in walks James Gunn and Zack Snyder — not as random voice cameos but as full-blown over-the-top versions of themselves. Only Rick and Morty could pull that off and still make it feel normal.

Scott Marder, who’s one of the brains behind the show, spilled a few fun details about how it all went down. Turns out, both directors were not just chill about it — they were excited.

Did Gunn And Snyder Actually Watch The Show?

So here’s the thing. Marder said Gunn and Snyder didn’t need much convincing. They already watch the show. It’s their downtime TV. Maybe after fighting studio deadlines or editing superhero punch-ups, they flip on Rick and Morty like the rest of us.

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When the idea first popped up in the writers’ room, they were actually talking about a “Book-alizer.” Jerry writing a boring novel and Rick messing with it. That somehow turned into a “Movie-lizer” instead. Makes sense. A show that loves mocking Hollywood couldn’t resist. So they cooked up Maximum Velocitree — basically their version of Fast and Furious meets Transformers. Dumb name, big explosions.

Then they needed a face for the studio boss. Gunn was perfect. He’s already shaping Superman, rebooting DC, sitting at the top of Warner Bros.’ superhero castle. If you’re gonna troll big studio creative choices, who better to drag in than the real guy behind them?

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Marder said they figured Gunn would be way too busy. He was literally wrapping Superman when they asked. But he jumped in. He even ran it up the chain at Warner Bros. fast. Nobody bristled. No PR panic. Just full send.

Snyder joined in too. The idea of seeing Snyder rib Gunn about Superman was just too good to skip. They made the cafeteria scene where Snyder tells Gunn his Superman’s too chatty. Very inside joke. Very Rick and Morty.

What Did They Actually Do In The Episode?

The episode’s called “Ricker Than Fiction.” Rick and Morty are mad about the creative direction of Maximum Velocitree. So they crash the Warner Bros. lot and confront Gunn directly. He tries to calm them down but fails because, well, they’re Rick and Morty. So Rick just decides he can make a better blockbuster himself. Enter the “Movie-lizer.”

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They take over the movie. They rewrite it from inside the script. Snyder pops in, gives Gunn some sass about Superman, then drops Rick’s background for the audience — that bit about Rick sealing Christopher Nolan inside a giant bookcase is classic. It’s a silly poke at Interstellar but with Rick and Morty, these deep-cut jokes are half the fun.

Rick and Morty rewrite the ending, crash through villains and leave Gunn weirdly grateful. He’s all in tears about how good the new ending is. Then there’s the cherry on top — Gunn tries to pitch the new ending to Warner Bros., claiming it could save Hollywood. He asks for a sundae. Instead, a gun named Sundae literally shoots him. Can’t make this up.

How Did Fans React To The Surprise?

Scott Marder and the writers knew people would flip when they realized who the voices were. So they kept it tight. Marder said they’re basically Fort Knox with leaks. When Gunn and Snyder showed up to record, they even snapped a pic together. That photo went viral online but somehow nobody guessed it was Rick and Morty related. Fans thought they were just two DC bros catching up. Joke’s on everyone.

Dan Harmon, the co-creator, got hyped too. He even wrote some of the Superman jokes. He wanted to make sure the episode did justice to having these two heavy-hitters say these lines. When you’ve got actual Snyder and Gunn, you don’t half-write it. You lean all the way in.

Did Snyder Want To Do More?

After Snyder recorded his lines, Marder said he turned into a total fanboy. He finished up, then came back and basically asked, “Got anything else for me? Throw me a tag. I’ll do it.” You can tell Snyder’s one of those guys who loves being in on the joke. That’s probably why he’s still got fans who’ll hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut at any given chance.

The Rick and Morty version of the Snyder Cut? Marder didn’t rule it out. He said he’d love a good Snyder Cut. Maybe we’ll get a ten-hour director’s version of “Ricker Than Fiction” someday, with an extra ten minutes of Rick calling studio execs “dorks.” Probably not. But maybe.

Why Did This Episode Hit Different?

Longtime fans love these plug-and-play episodes. Marder said he knows people crave classic Rick and Morty. They don’t always want galaxy-ending plot twists or backstories about Beth’s clone. Sometimes they just want Rick, Morty, and a dumb sci-fi device making fun of pop culture. That’s what “Ricker Than Fiction” did.

It also poked at fandom itself. We all sit on couches yelling that we could write a better sequel. Rick and Morty did it literally — and then they got stuck inside their own version. That’s the part that hits home. Everyone thinks they can fix movies. But the people actually doing it are stuck rewriting drafts at 3 AM, fighting test audiences and notes from ten different execs.

Gunn gets that. Snyder gets that. Marder gets that too. So the episode throws it all back at us but keeps it fun. The jokes don’t stay on a soapbox too long. That’s why it works.

What Happens Next For Gunn And Snyder On The Show?

Gunn’s dead in the episode. Shot by Sundae. But it’s Rick and Morty. Dead doesn’t always mean dead. There’s multiverses, clones, timeline loops — you name it. If they want him back, he’ll be back.

Snyder? He practically begged for more lines. So don’t be shocked if you hear his voice again next season. Maybe they’ll even give him a new gadget — the Snyder Cut-alizer. He can spend a whole episode re-editing Rick’s worst adventures.

Marder sounds like he’s game for it. He’s a self-proclaimed nerd. He’s living every fanboy dream by having these guys step into the Rick and Morty chaos. If they keep saying yes, he’ll keep writing them in.

So next time you watch Rick and Morty, keep an ear out. That villain voice or meta cameo might just be your favorite director poking fun at himself. And only this show could make it all feel normal.