Rick and Morty season 5: Easter eggs and references in the new trailer

Hit animated comedy is returning in June

The first trailer for the new season of Rick and Morty has been released, along with a premiere date.

The hit Adult Swim cartoon will be returning to screens in the US on 20 June, with a UK release confirmed to follow shortly after.

Fans have already identified several Easter eggs and references in the two-minute-long trailer, which hint at some of the plotlines the show’s fifth season may have in store.

Part of the trailer seems to tease a direct parody of the classic animated series Voltron, which was rebooted by Netflix in 2016.

One scene from the trailer sees Rick, Jerry, Beth, Summer and Morty combine to control one singular Voltron-style vehicle, in a clear homage to the original series.

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Another bizarre scene finds Rick and Beth dressed in what appears to be BDSM gear. Judging by the needles protruding from Beth’s face, though, it is more likely some kind of reference to the Cenobytes from the Hellraiser franchise.

The trailer also provides a look at Mr Nimbus, an aquatic character purported to be Rick’s nemesis, who was teased at last year’s Comic-Con. The figure appears to be a parody of the Marvel character Namor.

There’s a shot of what looks like a Transformers parody, before a scene of Rick fighting another version of himself – something the character has done several times before, including in fan-favourite episode “The Rickshank Rickdemption”.

In another scene, a collection of purple gemstones display alternate versions of Rick and Morty, including one based on Blade.

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The biggest Easter egg spotted in the trailer so far is a glimpse at an alternate reality based on the original, crudely animated Rick and Morty pilot (in which the characters were called Doc and Mharti).

In the UK, Rick and Morty season five will arrive on E4 and All 4 this June.