'Rick and Morty' season 3 air date, news: Rick will be okay, says series co-creator

Things did not end so well for Rick in the final episode of "Rick and Morty" season 2, which left fans wondering about his fate in the upcoming third season. Will he be able to make it out of prison, and if he does, will he still have the mind and the heart to go on the same zany adventures with his grandson?

There is still no confirmed release date for the much-anticipated third season of "Rick and Morty." Earlier speculations were inspired by what Mr. Poopybutthole said in the season 2 finale that more episodes might not come any earlier than a year and a half, which put "Rick and Morty" season 3's rumored premiere at around April 2017.

But co-creator Dan Harmon later teased during a panel held at the Magic City Comic Con earlier this year that they were targeting to get the much-awaited installment released around the end of 2016. He also revealed that the third season would be comprised of a total of 14 episodes. This is still far from an actual confirmation, but having a potential release date to look forward to is enough to get fans of the animated series excited and hopeful that they will be able to see Rick and Morty soon.

As to what becomes of Rick when the series returns, Harmon recently told Den of Geek that the issue of Rick's imprisonment will be resolved "pretty quickly" so that the third season can then focus on more strange storylines for Rick and Morty.

Harmon also shared via Den of Geek that they have addressed the fans' craving for more gender-balanced writing by recruiting "a bunch of new writers." However, he also pointed out that they made the decision based on their own observation and they have not in any way compromised themselves by simply following what the viewers want to see.

Fans can expect some great changes along with a lot of the familiar brand of humor that makes "Rick and Morty" such a hit to its audiences. Watch out for the animated series' return later this year or in early 2017.