Adult Swim celebrated April Fools’ Day 2026 with a special surprise for fans of Smiling Friends. The network is known for its elaborate April Fools’ Day stunts, often changing its usual programming for the day. What started as simple pranks has become increasingly creative over the past ten years, with Adult Swim now collaborating with outside artists on unique projects to mark the holiday.
Adult Swim didn’t let fans down with their April Fools’ Day joke this year. They announced a Smiling Friends Season 3 marathon, leading many to believe the prank would involve the show – especially since it’s nearing its end. The actual prank, revealed on April 1st, was connected to Smiling Friends, but in a surprising way. You can see it below.
Adult Swim Debuts Smiling Friends April Fools’ Day 2026 Prank
Adult Swim surprised viewers with a new short film from artist Lee Hardcastle as their April Fools’ Day prank this year. Hardcastle is known for his unique clay-based stop-motion animation, which has appeared in several Adult Swim promos. Fans of the show Smiling Friends may already be familiar with the short, titled “Ghosts & Chainsaws,” as it originally aired as part of the show’s Season 3 Halloween special.
The latest April Fools’ Day surprise from Adult Swim began with a quick clip from the Smiling Friends seemingly finishing a strange, old black and white film. Then, Hardcastle brought back the entire short, seamlessly connecting it to the beginning of a new Smiling Friends episode. It felt like the short had always been part of the show, and it was a clever way to mark what will probably be the last Smiling Friends April Fools’ prank for a good while.
When Does Smiling Friends Season 3 End?
The animated series Smiling Friends will conclude with its third season. The final two episodes are scheduled to air on Adult Swim on Sunday, April 12th at 11:00 PM Eastern Time. While the show was initially renewed for two additional seasons, creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel have decided to end it after Season 3, and are releasing the last two episodes alongside the rest of the season.
The creators have hinted that these last episodes won’t feel like a big series finale. Instead, they were developed as part of the season we’ve already seen, like extra stories added on. Still, with the show ending soon, fans are eager to watch these final episodes and say goodbye to the characters they love.
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2026-04-01 18:17