Fans of "Gravity Falls" have long celebrated when Disney confirmed that a new season for the animated TV series is happening but in a shocking revelation, creators said that "Gravity Falls" is set in the same universe with "Rick and Morty," with a possible crossover in "Gravity Falls" Season 3.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch confirmed that both shows are related, saying, "We [Justin Roiland and him] started putting little Easter eggs in our shows that sort of connected the two."
In its report, Movie Pilot highlighted the most prevalent easter egg that has been identified where in one scene in a "Gravity Falls" episode, Grunkle Stan lost his notepad and mug to a portal the character has opened. The notepad and mug fell out the other side in the background of an episode of "Rick and Morty."
In a "Rick and Morty" episode titled "Big Trouble in Little Sanchez," where the Alex Hirsch guest starred in as Toby Matthews, there appeared a visual reference of the dream demon antagonist Bill Cipher of "Gravity Falls."
The shared universe of "Gravity Falls" and "Rick and Morty" may be associated from the fact the "Gravity Falls" creator Alex Hirsch and "Rick and Morty" creator Justin Roiland are good friends, who earlier in their careers have worked together in the same Disney Channel office. Roiland plays Blendin Blandin and Bobby Renzobb in "Gravity Falls" while Hirsch has also voiced Tom Matthews in the seventh episode of "Rick and Morty" Season 2.
Such and the sci-fi weirdness shared by both shows create the big possibility of a crossover, which has been teased by Hirsch in his interview, saying, "[Roiland] and I both dreamed one day of having our own weird TV shows, and we would talk about ways in which we would childishly abuse this power. For some reason, the universe has blessed us with our mad wishes, and it occurred to us-let's start doing things that nobody else does, that maybe you're supposed to do."
Meanwhile, in a separate Movie Pilot report, Alex Hirsche hinted that some of the "Gravity Falls" characters may see their end in Season 2.
"As was revealed in the first episode of the season, 'Scary-oke,' Grunkle Stan is aware of magic, mystery, chaos and weirdness and doesn't exactly care for it," he said. "So when the apocalypse happens, to Grunkle stan it's less of a reality bending shock and more of a frustrating hassle, which comes with it, concerns about the characters he cares about. I cannot say when, where or how we'll see Stan again."
"Gravity Falls" Season will premiere on March 2017.
