An eagerly awaited crossover between Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is officially on the way, with a fresh teaser giving fans their first glimpse of the collaboration. Shared on Instagram by Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson (A Black Lady Sketch Show) and Always Sunny star Rob McElhenney (Welcome to Wrexham), the clip playfully declares, “Philly’s a small city.” The teaser humorously features a sign-in sheet at Abbott, followed by school visitor badges being printed for Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito), Deandra Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton) and Mac (Ronald McDonald, played by McElhenney). According to Comicbook.com, the crossover will mark Abbott Elementary’s return from its winter break, with Episode 9 set to premiere on ABC on January 8th, 2025 and stream on Hulu.

 

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By October 2024, Variety confirmed that the crossover had expanded into a two-episode event. In this extended storyline, Abbott Elementary teachers will also make an appearance at Paddy’s Pub in an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s 17th season. Reflecting on the experience, Kaitlin Olson (High Potential, Hacks) said, “It was very fun…And they’ll be jumping into our world in a couple of weeks, which is very exciting. So it’s been really fun for both of our casts to be able to do, them a cable show and us a network show.”

While specific plot details remain under wraps, early hints about the crossover surfaced during San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024. At the event, Brunson teased via Variety, “We will be doing an interesting crossover this season. I’m not gonna tell you with who, or with what, or where, or when, but it’s really exciting and I think it’ll change television as we know it.”

One of the key challenges in creating this crossover was merging the two shows’ distinct comedic styles. Executive producers Justin Halpern (Harley Quinn, Surviving Jack) and Patrick Schumacker (Powerless, Kite Man: Hell Yeah!) revealed to Variety that the idea began as a lighthearted joke due to the tonal differences between the series. However, when McElhenney (Mythic Quest) and Day (Fist Fight) joined the Abbott writers’ room, the concept began to take shape. “We hashed out some real broad stroke ideas,” Schumacker said. “They were super game for everything. All those concerns that we had about the tones of the shows butting against each other were alleviated the second we started filming with Charlie.”

Tyler James Williams (Dear White People), who plays Gregory Eddie on Abbott Elementary, also shared his perspective with TV Insider. “It’s uncanny how well it works,” he said. “[We’ve] come together and can just find that comedic language together,” Williams said. “It’s really crazy how well the pairings work… There’s some really interesting ones here. And that’s what’s been really fun.”

Both Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are known for their bold creativity and willingness to surprise audiences. Earlier in March 2024, Abbott Elementary delighted fans with a special post-Oscars episode featuring Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born, Silver Linings Playbook), who even reprised his voice role as Rocket Raccoon in a hilarious misunderstanding.

New episodes of Abbott Elementary air Wednesdays on ABC, with both series available for streaming on Hulu. As anticipation builds, fans are eagerly counting down to what promises to be one of the most memorable crossovers in comedy television history.