The long wait for new Rick and Morty is especially fraught this year, as conservative estimates place Season 4 in late 2019 (at best). Now, creators confirm Adult Swim has not yet renewed the series, and contract negotiations with parent company Turner are to blame.

Late last week, co-creator Dan Harmon explained to an aggressive fan over Twitter that “it can be challenging … to write a show that hasn’t been ordered by a network,” confirming that Season 4 of the popular Adult Swim series had not yet been greenlit. No explanation was given for the renewal delay – especially in light of fan fervor surrounding the show’s third season – but Harmon’s explanation followed a January quote from writer Ryan Ridley that no work had begun on Season 4. Now, co-creator and star Justin Roiland tells fans their ire is best directed at Adult Swim’s overseers, Turner Broadcasting:

There may be more to the story than simple indecision, however. Harmon once again fielded the Rick and Morty question during an appearance on Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier’s SModcast, but this time explained that complications with unspecified contracts were responsible for the delay (h/t Newsweek):

The reason we’re not working on Rick and Morty right now ain’t because I figured out that I don’t need to impress you. It’s because of a little something called contract negotiations and it’s gotten complicated this time around.

Last we heard, Harmon was hoping to up Season 4’s episode order from ten to fourteen, given their prior experience overcoming delays. At the very least, 2018 is set to bring us a series of Oni Press one-shot comics with some fan-favorite characters, while McDonald’s is enjoying another bout of Szechuan sauce promotion.

We may hear more when Turner holds its Upfront presentation in May, or at least by the Adult Swim Festival in October, so stay tuned.

Check Out 100 TV Facts You May Not Know!

More From WGBF-FM