When Seth MacFarlane’sTedfirst debuted in 2012, it was a mega-hit and spawned the sequelTed 2three years later. Audiences will now get to watch the stuffed bear who speaks his mind again, this time from the beginning of his story in a new series forPeacock.
Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, has orderedTedas a live-action comedy series from MacFarlane and his production company, Fuzzy Door Productions. TheoriginalTedfilmwas so popular that it became the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time that was not a sequel or based on other intellectual property. Together,TedandTed 2grossed over $750 million. MacFarlane will executive produce the show alongside Erica Huggins, president of Fuzzy Door. Instead of picking up whereTed 2left off, The Hollywood Reporter sources say the ten-episode series will serve as a prequel, which MacFarlane will also be writing.
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There’s no official word on who will star in the show, but MacFarlane is currently in talks to return as the voice of Ted. The prequel premise suggests Mark Wahlberg, who starred in the originalTed,may not be involved at all. Wahlberg portrayed Ted’s childhood friend John Bennett in the films, who found his romantic life complicated by his attachment to the foul-mouthed Teddy Bear. It’s also unlikely that Mila Kunis or Amanda Seyfried will be involved, although Kunis has worked alongside MacFarlane for over twenty years as the voice ofMeg Griffin onFamily Guy.
Details on the new series are limited, but fans of theTedmovies can hold out hope that it’s in good hands since MacFarlane is known for being heavily involved in his projects. Fuzzy Door Productions is behind suchhits asAmerican Dad!,Family Guy,The Cleveland Show, andThe Orville.
This will be the second show that Fuzzy Door is bringing to Peacock, the first beingThe End Is Nye, a science series hosted by Bill Nye that will examine the reality of various global threats and disasters. Aside from theTedseries, MacFarlane is currently working on a revival ofSmokey and the Bandit, the limited drama seriesThe Winds of War, and a modernized version ofthe classicRevenge of the Nerds.
While details on the series are scarce, the opening moments ofTeddo offer some insight into what the Peacock show could explore. After all, Ted became an instant celebrity after being brought to life by the wish of a young Bennett, only for that fame to disappear once the novelty of a talking Teddy Bear wore off.
