It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiahas just been renewed through season 18 FX, breaking itsown recordas the longest-running live-action comedy of all time. The announcement was made by FX chairman John Landgraf at Disney’s Investor Day Presentation on Thursday. Earlier this year, the series had already set a new record when it was renewed for season 15, surpassing the 14-season run by the classic ABC seriesThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. At Disney’s Investor Day presentation on Thursday, FX chairman John Landgraf revealed that the network had ordered four additional seasons.
Created by Rob McElhenney,Always Sunnypremiered on FX in 2005. The comedy series follows a group of friends running the Irish bar Paddy’s Pub in South Philadelphia. It starsMcElhenne as Paddy’s bouncer and co-owner Mac McDonald; Charlie Day as former co-owner and Mac’s friend Charlie Kelly; Glenn Howerton as Paddy’s co-owner Dennis Reynolds; Kaitlin Olson as Sweet Dee Reynolds, Dennis’s twin sister and a Paddy’s waitress; and Danny DeVito as Dennis and Dee’s father, with all four remaining prominent members of the cast for the long-running show’s ongoing run. During its ninth season, the series switched from FX to FXX, but the move didn’t stop its loyal fan base from sticking with the series.
McElhenney addressed the record-breaking renewal on Twitter by writing, “Sunnywas originally pitched as a 36 season arc. So happy to be halfway done.”
“If Sunny were a baby…..she’s legal. And HOT,” McElhenney’s co-star Olson also tweeted.
Howerton got in on the fun as well by tweeting, “We will pummel you all into submission with this show. We will ram it down your dirty throats!”
Before its earlier renewal through season 15, some fans ofAlways Sunnygrew concerned about the show’s future when McElhenney began promoting his new AppleTV+ seriesMythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet. Co-created by McElhenney, Day, and Megan Ganz, the series follows a video game studio that produces a popular MMORPG. When asked if the potential success of the new series would affect his involvement inAlways Sunny, McElhenney assured fans that they planned to still keep that show going for as long as they could.
“It takes us about five months to make a season ofSunny. We have that period of our lives carved. We’re going tokeep doing it foreverif people keep watching,” McElhenney said at the Winter TCA press tour in January. He also tweeted, “Charlie Day and I would like to cut the death threats off by saying this will in no way affect Sunny. Sunny Always. Always Sunny. There’s room for both you animals.”
There’s nothing like a record-shattering renewal to assuage fears from fans that the series would be coming to an end anytime soon. If we’re going to get one season per year, then the series is guaranteed to be around until at least 2024. Season 15 ofIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiawill debut on FXX in 2021. This news comes to us fromFX Networks on Twitter.
