It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered on the FX network in 2005. The show was created and written by its stars and is a true example of actors creating their own content successfully. In May of 2020, it was announced that the series would be renewed for its fifteenth season, making it the longest-running live-action comedy series in television history.
The show's success is largely attributed to its ensemble cast and the chemistry they have with one another. These four narcissistic friends manage to find trouble wherever they go and their misfortunes deliver a lot of laughs. While fans anxiously await the new season, here are 10 films that may hold viewers over until then.
Silver Linings Playbook
One of the other main characters in this series is the city of Philadelphia where the show takes place. The opening credits show off favorite spots for the locals and every episode seems to highlight an area or element of the city that fans of the series who are from the area will recognize and appreciate.
In Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, the city of Philadelphia plays an equally important role in setting the scene. It gives viewers more content and background for each of the characters.
Matilda
Danny DeVito has been a household name since the late '70s and became a bonafide movie star with films like Get Shorty. For fans who love DeVito as Frank Reynolds, they should also check him out in the kids' classic, Matilda, based on the novel by the same name.
In this film, DeVito plays Matilda's father, Harry Wormwood, who is not a very kind man and makes a living selling used, worthless cars. In addition to starring in the film, DeVito also directed it.
Office Space
The four friends in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Charlie, Dennis, Mac, and Dee – run a bar called Paddy's Pub. The bar rarely seems to have any customers, but that doesn't bother its owners because it gives them more time to get into trouble or come up with their latest bad idea.
The workplace comedy, Office Space, seems to share similar themes to this television show in that the characters' sources of income seem to get little of their attention because they create better things to focus on.
Waiting
Not only does the cast of this series seem to be bad at running their bar, but it also seems to be something no one particularly likes doing. The movie Waiting, starring Ryan Reynolds, gives viewers a hysterical behind-the-scenes peek at what really happens in restaurants.
This movie shows jaded and burnt out employees of a chain restaurant on a typical day, handling rude customers and trying to get by as best they can. It delivers a lot of laughs and some very cringe-worthy, unforgettable scenes.
Shaun Of The Dead
Every episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia seems to be more ridiculous than the last and that's what keeps fans coming back week after week.
The gang seems to get themselves into impossible situations and to everyone's amazement, it always seems to work out for them in the end, making these situations even funnier. For fans of ridiculous, laugh-a-minute comedy like this series offers, the British comedy, Shaun of the Dead should be number one on their watchlist.
This Is The End
In apocalypse feature. Similar to the cast and creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, this movie is so great because the people making it are all friends and collaborators, who enjoy working together so much, they continue to do it.
The on-screen chemistry in this buddy comedy will give fans the same warm, fuzzy feelings they get watching Mac, Charlie, and Dennis plan their latest business venture.
Magic Mike
Dee, Charlie, Mac, and Dennis all share the same narcissistic qualities that make them think they can do anything, like solve the gas crisis or run for office.
Every episode brings new adventures and a slew of bad ideas that never turn out quite the way the foursome had hoped. The movie Magic Mike has a similar setup, albeit with a much happier ending because, much to the viewers' surprise, these unlikely male strippers end up finding some success.
Horrible Bosses
Charlie Day quickly became a fan favorite character after the premiere of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Charlie's quirky personality and unpredictability make him the show's wild card and seeing what he does next is always an adventure, both for his castmates and his fans.
For viewers who can't get enough of this character, the comedy Horrible Bosses should be in their queue. In the film, Charlie plays a similar character with just as many quirks but has a very different type of boss.
American Psycho
Dennis Reynolds is another character that intrigued fans from the very beginning, but for very different reasons. Dennis seems a little more dangerous, and not in a sexy, cool way, but more in a "is he actually a psychopath?" sort of way.
It wouldn't surprise fans if Patrick Bateman, to be so relatable.
Cruel Intentions
If It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia was a dramatic feature film made in the late '90s, it easily could have been Cruel Intentions. The characters in this series are master manipulators and seem to have a couple, if not many, screws loose.
They are also extremely full of themselves and use that narcissism to manipulate their way in and out of insane situations. Dee and Dennis also frequently use the sex appeal they think they have to get their way and aren't afraid to hurt people in the process.