'Abbott Elementary' Sets to Crossover With 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'

The creators of the hit television shows It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Abbott Elementary are finally giving fans what they’ve wanted — a crossover episode.

It’s Always Sunny star and co-creator Rob McElhenney took to social media on Thursday, October 3, to share a photo via X where he, along with fellow Sunny costar Charlie Day, posed with Abbott star and creator Quinta Brunson.

The photo, which seemingly confirmed a crossover episode is in the works for the two shows, was taken outside the Warner Bros. studio lot for Abbott, Variety reports.

McElhenney went on to share another photo via X, showing the star posing with Brunson, Day, as well as Sunny co-star Danny DeVito and Abbott co-stars Tyler James Williams and William Stanford Davis (also known as the beloved Mr. Johnson).

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Last month, Brunson exclusively told Us Weekly that the much-anticipated crossover episode for the ABC series is “very cool” and “unexpected.”

“I think that it’ll be a delight to the audience of both shows,” she told Us. “You know, I think it’ll be very exciting for the people who watch our shows and, if they watch one show and not the other, I think that’s cool, too.”

“It’ll make people interested in that show,” she added. “So I think that’s really cool. I’m just excited about it and I think it’s just a fun way to shake up TV.”

Abbott premiered on ABC back in 2021, and follows elementary school teacher Janine Teagues (Brunson) and her colleagues (Williams, Lisa Anna Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Janelle James and Chris Perfetti) as they navigate the highs and lows of working in an underfunded Philadelphia public school.

It’s Always Sunny premiered on FX in 2005, and documents the debaucherous shenanigans of a group of narcissistic friends and Philadelphia bar owners, played by McElhenney, Day, DeVito, co-creator Glenn Howerton and Kaitlin Olson.

A crossover between the lovable, Office-like Abbott and the boundary-pushing black comedy It’s Always Sunny might feel surprising to some, but both shows are set in Philadelphia, making a crossover episode more than feasible.

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Back in February, McElhenney first mentioned the possibility of a collaborative episode on X and when referencing the infamous “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” disaster in Glasgow, Scotland.

“A lot of you are saying this feels like an episode of Sunny, but to me it feels more like an @alwayssunnt @AbbotElemABC crossover episode,” he commented. Brunson then shared a screenshot of the post, writing: “Just say the word @robmcelhenney. I love you guys.”

Of course, fans of both shows quickly ran to the comments section of McElhenney’s post on Thursday to share their excitement.

“Abbott/It’s Always Sunny crossover. We’ve never been more back,” one fan wrote via X.

“I have always believed that Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia take place in the same universe…and now this is proof,” another posted.

With reporting by Nicole Massabrook