The gang are coming back!
When the new season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs, the beloved show will officially become the joint-longest running live-action sitcom in American television history, equalling 1950s and 60s show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Against the odds, Dennis, Mac, Charlie, Dee and Frank have already made it to a mammoth 13 seasons after 14 years on the air. Season 14 is now on the way – and there are plans for a 15th season, too.
One thing is clear: the show is still very much going strong. As fans eagerly await the new season, we’ll be here to keep you up to date with everything there is to know about season 14 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
https://youtu.be/zhbcZluEDNs
The new season has been confirmed to arrive on September 25, keeping in line with the show’s tradition of airing in the autumn.
Break out the Fight Milk and do your hammer jerks. #SunnyFXX is back for season 14, 9/25 on @FXNetworks. https://t.co/psih92E1hP
— It's Always Sunny (@alwayssunny) June 24, 2019
Yes! And the first full trailer looks pretty nuts. Highlights seem to be a ’40s-style themed black and white episode, the gang hitting up a laser tag centre, and something revolving around a melon.
On July 23, the Always Sunny Twitter account posted the first teaser trailer for season 14. Carrying the subtitle “always a work of art”, the animated and abstract clip features the members of the gang (including a karate-kicking Mac) and ends with Frank shouting: “Don’t judge me, this is art!”
Always Sunny. Always a work of art. The all-new season premieres 9/25 on FXX. #SunnyFXX pic.twitter.com/7qhbtuu3RJ
— It's Always Sunny (@alwayssunny) July 23, 2019
Here’s another clip (albeit a non-trailer) of Kaitlin Olson (Dee) on set that McElhenney shared on June 15. Captioned ‘Bird’, Sunny fans will enjoy this very much.
Bird. #bird
A post shared by RobMcElhenney (@robmcelhenney) on Jun 14, 2019 at 12:59pm PDT
Yes! The good news was confirmed on June 13 by Glenn Howerton, who plays sociopath Dennis Reynolds on the show. Posting on his Instagram account, Howerton, who is expected to take a bigger role in Season 14, wrote: “Home sweet home. Day 1 starts tomorrow with yours truly directing.” The actor also revealed that he would be directing at least one episode of the new season.
Responding to the post, the It’s Always Sunny Instagram account joked: “Stay out of Mac’s room.”
Home sweet home. Day 1 starts tomorrow. With yours truly directing. Can’t wait. #sunny14
A post shared by Glenn Howerton (@glennhowerton) on Jun 12, 2019 at 4:58pm PDT
In a later post, Howerton revealed that the production team were shooting episodes one and two at the same time.
First slate of the season. (Shooting eps 1 and 2 at the same time.) #sunny14
A post shared by Glenn Howerton (@glennhowerton) on Jun 13, 2019 at 1:55pm PDT
Back in April, Rob McElhenney took to Instagram to confirm that he and Charlie Day had started work on writing Season 14. “Week one of the ☀️ writers room down. You can tell by the fluorescent lights, our pained expressions and the empty white board behind us. #14yearstogether” he wrote.
Week one of the ☀️ writers room down. You can tell by the fluorescent lights, our pained expressions and the empty white board behind us. #14yearstogether
A post shared by RobMcElhenney (@robmcelhenney) on Apr 13, 2019 at 8:17am PDT
On May 29, McElhenney confirmed that writing was now in fact well under way on all of the new episodes, posting a picture of himself, Day and Howerton together in an office on the Fox Studio Lot. He accompanied it with the caption: “We can make a pretty good TV show but can’t take a photo for shit.”
We can make a pretty good tv show but can’t take a photo for shit. #season14
A post shared by RobMcElhenney (@robmcelhenney) on May 29, 2019 at 3:07pm PDT
Season 14 filming?
That's lit. #SunnyFXX https://t.co/iUZw9j4SI1 pic.twitter.com/vCuIo1OTas
— It's Always Sunny (@alwayssunny) June 13, 2019
Dennis’ presence – or lack of – in season 13 was disconcerting for many fans, but it looks like his attention will be more focused on Sunny going forward as his other show, A.P. Bio, was cancelled earlier this year.
“It’s all a little up in the air. Everything is under discussion,” Howerton told Den of Geek recently about Dennis’ involvement in the new season. “But it’s certainly my intention to continue to be involved in Sunny, I can tell you that. So as long as everything lines up properly schedule-wise, and it all makes sense from an artistic and story perspective, then yeah, I’ll be back.”
Charlie Day sought to assure fans that Dennis would be involved in season 14 from the off with this hilarious Instagram meme. “First shot of the new season and look who it is!” McElhenney says in the clip, before the camera pans around to Howerton – much to the delight of the watching crowd (which was actually filmed at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate Stadium during England’s Euro 2016 campaign).
Season 14 underway. #sunny
A post shared by Charlie Day (@charliedayofficial) on Jun 13, 2019 at 10:44am PDT
Season 14 #Sunny
A post shared by Charlie Day (@charliedayofficial) on May 29, 2019 at 3:20pm PDT
There were more clues on Charlie Day’s Instagram, too: on June 17, an on-set photo was shared of the returning cast members with Danny DeVito (Frank) and Kaitlin Olson.
#Sunny
A post shared by RobMcElhenney (@robmcelhenney) on Jun 17, 2019 at 9:05am PDT
Meanwhile, there was some panic on Instagram (June 8) when Glenn Howerton joked that he’d replaced two of the show’s main characters. “I’m firing @kaitlinolson and myself and hiring @johntanzer and my assistant Ross to play our characters this season,” he wrote. Happily, it was just a joke and both characters are safe for now (phew).
I’m firing @kaitlinolson and myself and hiring @johntanzer and my assistant Ross to play our characters this season.
A post shared by Glenn Howerton (@glennhowerton) on Jun 7, 2019 at 10:50pm PDT
The closing episode of season 13 centred on Mac’s sexuality in what was widely considered as one of the most emotive episodes ever seen in Sunny history – and so it’s likely that Season 14 will explore this subject more.
Rob McElhenney has also said that the upcoming new season is “getting weird” as he shared a new behind-the-scenes image on June 15. He teased fans by posting a surreal photo from the set which sees him lying beside Howerton on a mattress, with a bible and Jesus figure between the pair.
During a chat with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, Howerton didn’t give too much away about the upcoming season, but he did say he’d put his “heart and soul” into it.
“I love that show so much. I mean, that’s my baby. That’s my co-creation, and I will always be involved in that show, I think in some form or other,” he said.
“How much I can be involved will be somewhat dictated by what else I’m doing, but it’s always going to be something that I care deeply about, and I’m going to put my heart and soul into when I can.”
Director of photography on the show, John Tanzer, is worth following on Instagram for some behind the scenes images which could hint at developments to come. He’s already shared a few which you can see below.
#tracksuittuesday IASIP S14 Prep
A post shared by John Tanzer (@johntanzer) on Jun 4, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT
#IASIP S14 Here we go again…
A post shared by John Tanzer (@johntanzer) on Jun 13, 2019 at 4:55pm PDT
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