Guillermo del Toro returns as Pappy McPoyle in ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Season 18
Del Toro shared the news on social media with a photo of himself in character, writing, “Pappy is coming back…”
Filming for season 18 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has begun, with director Guillermo del Toro confirming he will return to the series as the character Pappy McPoyle.
The update comes as production starts on the long-running FX comedy, with cast member Rob McElhenney previously revealing that filming for the new season is under way. It was also confirmed in February that the upcoming season will include more than eight episodes, breaking a pattern that has continued since season 15 when the series shifted to shorter runs.
Del Toro shared the news of his return on social media by posting a photo of himself in character as Pappy McPoyle. Alongside the image, he wrote: “Pappy is coming back…”
The character is the patriarch of the McPoyle family, who have appeared throughout the series as recurring antagonists to the main group of characters, including Charlie. Within the show’s storyline, Pappy is believed to be the grandfather of Liam and Ryan McPoyle.
Pappy McPoyle first appeared in the season eight episode “The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre”. The character later returned in season 11 for the episode “McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century”, which aired in 2016.
The character is remembered for a chaotic courtroom speech in which he explains that “all the McPoyles sprung from [his] loins fully formed,” before adding that he later ate one of the babies. The unusual line has been linked by some viewers to the Greek myth of Kronos devouring his children before being overthrown by Zeus. According to cast member Charlie Day, del Toro contributed the line himself during filming.
Although widely known for directing films, del Toro has also appeared as an actor in several television series. His acting credits include guest roles in Futurama, The Simpsons and Barry, alongside his work in the Hellboy franchise.
The McPoyle family remains one of the show’s most recognisable recurring groups. Other notable side characters include Rickety Cricket, played by David Hornsby, and Artemis Dubois, portrayed by Artemis Pebdani.
A release date for season 18 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has not yet been announced.
