A Ted
animated show is on the way, and it’s set to bring Mark Wahlberg back to the franchise after 10 years. Hitting theaters in 2012, the first Ted movie hailed from writer and director Seth MacFarlane, who also provided the voice of the titular foul-mouthed teddy bear. Wahlberg appeared in the film as John Bennett, Ted’s best friend, a role that he would reprise for Ted 2 (2015) after the original movie’s massive success. Wahlberg didn’t return, however, for the recent Ted prequel series on Peacock.
Per Deadline, Peacock has now given a series order to Ted: The Animated Series (working title). Though no logline has been provided just yet, the show is expected to serve as a sequel that takes place after the two Ted movies. MacFarlane will executive produce the series and return to voice the titular bear, with Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh also executive producing. Wahlberg is returning to voice John alongside Ted 2 cast member Amanda Seyfried as Sam. Jessica Barth will also return as Tami-Lynn, with newcomers to the cast including Kyle Mooney as Apollo and Liz Richman as Ruth.
What This Means For The Ted Franchise
Peacock Is Doubling Down On The Seth MacFarlane IP
The last Ted movie was released 10 years ago now, but the franchise remains a strong piece of IP. Peacock’s live-action Ted series, which is a prequel about John and Ted’s bond in the early ’90s, was a massive viewership success upon its release in January 2024, and still stands as the streamer’s most-watched original series ever. Data from Nielsen also revealed that the series was the top-performing original streaming comedy in the U.S. for over two months.
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The upcoming animated series is in addition to a Ted season 2, with Peacock clearly looking to further expand the franchise after the first show’s reception. With Wahlberg having been a major reason for the movies’ success, his return to voice John could help carry the animated series to great heights. The returning Ted 2 cast members and the show’s status as a sequel also speak to the potential story to come, with the Ted 2 ending featuring John and Sam as a couple, in addition to a remarried Ted and Tami-Lynn.
Our Take On Ted: The Animated Series
Animation Could Be A Good Fit
In many ways, animation is the perfect medium for Ted. While part of the charm of the first two movies and the show are the ways in which Ted interacts with the real world around him, animation could open the door for even more wacky antics and more outlandish humor. Plus, dropping in to do voice work for the show is less of a scheduling commitment for Wahlberg than a live-action project, meaning the series could be the best option for further exploring a familiar iteration of John.
|
Ted Franchise Rotten Tomatoes Scores |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Title |
RT Critics’ Score |
RT Popcornmeter |
|
Ted |
69% |
73% |
|
Ted 2 |
45% |
50% |
|
Ted (TV Show) |
74% |
90% |
Wahlberg’s return is certainly a major reason to be excited about Ted: The Animated Series, but Seyfried and Barth’s returns are also promising signs. If the series puts the relationships between John and Sam, and Ted and Tami-Lynn front and center, it could end up featuring plenty of heart on top of the humor. While another movie may not be on the horizon, this latest announcement makes clear that the Ted franchise isn’t going anywhere.
Source: Deadline
Ted
- Created by
-
Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild
Summary
The Ted franchise is a raunchy comedy series created by Seth MacFarlane, centered around John Bennett and his crude, talking teddy bear, Ted. The series, known for its humor and commentary on friendship and maturity, includes two films and a prequel television series.