Charlie Day says he and the other stars of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” are hoping the show will go for 15 seasons, which would make it the longest-running live-action sitcom in history. He also said “fans should feel hopeful” they’ll see more of Glenn Howerton’s Dennis, despite his goodbye at the end of Season 12.
TheWrap spoke with Day at Saturday night’s premiere of “Hotel Artemis,” in which he plays a sleazy, entitled arms dealer hiding out in a secret hospital for criminals during a massive riot through Los Angeles. With all of his film work recently, we asked him how long we’ll keep getting new seasons of “Always Sunny” on FXX.
“You definitely get Season 13, which we’re making right now, and Season 14, which we’re contracted to do, and then beyond that, it’ll be up to FX,” he said. “But I think 15 is the record for a comedy, so I imagine we’ll all want to hold the record for the longest-running comedy in America. Fifteen would be the record for the longest live-action comedy, so we’ll probably try and break that record if we can.”
“Always Sunny” is currently renewed through its 14th season, which will tie it with “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” for TV’s longest-running live-action comedy. “The Simpsons” is TV’s longest-running scripted series.
Season 12 of “Always Sunny” concluded last year with Howerton’s Dennis leaving the gang behind to focus on fatherhood. Howerton told TheWrap at the time that he wasn’t sure whether Dennis would return to the show.
We asked Day if Dennis will return? “It’s top secret, I can’t say anything,” Day said. “But I can say that the fans should feel hopeful. The fans should feel hopeful that they’ll see some more Dennis … There’s been discussions.”
Howerton’s starring role on NBC’s “AP Bio,” which was just renewed for a second season, has no bearing on whether Dennis will return to “Always Sunny.” Howerton will continue writing “Always Sunny” with Day and Rob McElhenney, who also created “Always Sunny.” In January, Howerton declined to say if Dennis will ever return.
“Telling you whether or not Dennis is coming back would be giving away the plot of the next season,” Howerton wrote on Twitter. “So … to clarify once and for all. I don’t know if Dennis is coming back. He left the bar. We take that plot choice seriously.”
Last month, “Always Sunny” star Kaitlin Olson — who is married to co-star Rob McElhenny and whose character, Dee Reynolds, is Dennis’ sister — said Dennis would be back for at least some episodes.
But the emotional rollercoaster isn’t over — because Day told us not to believe Olson.
“Kaitlin doesn’t write the show. She doesn’t know anything,” he joked at Saturday’s premiere.
“Hotel Artemis,” which also stars Jodie Foster and Sterling K. Brown, is about a hospital for wounded criminals presided over by a character named the Nurse (Foster). Day is funny and intense in the film, written and directed by Drew Pearce.
In a departure from his “Always Sunny” role, Day’s “Hotel Artemis” character is a threat to other humans, not just rats. And he has nice shoes.