Ted 2 | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Seth MacFarlane |
Written by |
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Based on | The characters by Seth MacFarlane |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Narrated by | Patrick Stewart |
Cinematography | Michael Barrett |
Edited by | Jeff Freeman |
Music by | Walter Murphy |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 115 minutes [1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $68 million [2] [3] [4] |
Box office | $215.9 million [5] |
Ted 2 (stylized as ted2) is a 2015 American fantasy comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild. It is the sequel to Ted . The film follows the talking teddy bear Ted (voiced by MacFarlane) as he fights for his civil rights in order to be recognized as a person and not as property. The film also stars Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Jessica Barth, John Slattery, and Morgan Freeman.
Principal photography began in Massachusetts in July 2014. Ted 2 was released on June 26, 2015, by Universal Pictures. Despite the film failing to achieve the critical and commercial success of its predecessor, it still became a box office success, grossing $215.9 million on a $68 million budget.
In January 2024, a prequel television series began streaming on Peacock.
Three years after the events of the first film, Ted marries his girlfriend, Tami-Lynn, six months after John Bennett and Lori Collins divorced. One year later, following a heated argument between Ted and Tami-Lynn, their co-worker, Joy, suggests to him that they have a baby to keep their marriage alive. When Ted discusses it with Tami-Lynn, she loves the idea and they both agree to have a baby. As Ted cannot father a child, John agrees to help find a sperm donor. After failed attempts to find one, John ultimately offers to donate his sperm, but Tami-Lynn is found to be infertile due to past drug use; subsequently, the couple decide to adopt. The background checks bring Ted's legal status as a person into question, and the state authorities of Massachusetts declare Ted to be property rather than a person. As a result, Ted loses his job, his credit card and bank accounts are terminated and his marriage to Tami-Lynn is annulled.
John suggests that they take the state to court. They ask the best lawyer they can find, who assigns the case pro bono to his niece Samantha "Sam" Jackson, a novice lawyer. They are initially reluctant due to her lack of pop culture knowledge, but bond over their love of marijuana as they prepare to present the case. Meanwhile, Donny, Ted's life-long stalker, is now working as a janitor at Hasbro's headquarters in New York City. He proposes to the company CEO to abduct Ted for research in order to manufacture live teddy bears commercially, convincing him to hire an expert attorney to ensure that Ted maintains his status as property.
Despite Sam's best efforts, the court rules against Ted. Disheartened and desperate, the trio contact Patrick Meighan, a highly respected civil rights attorney, to help overturn the court's decision. During a trip to Manhattan to meet with Meighan, John and Sam fall in love and eventually kiss. When the trio meet Meighan, he is sympathetic to Ted's plight but ultimately refuses the case, as he believes Ted has not significantly contributed to humanity due to his lifestyle.
Furious at the injustice and jealous of Sam and John's relationship, Ted takes his frustrations out on them and angrily storms off. He wanders into the New York Comic-Con, while Donny, disguised as a Raphael cosplayer, discreetly follows Ted inside. When Ted encounters Donny, he flees and Donny chases him. Ted steals another person’s phone to contact Sam and John to inform them of his situation, just as Donny abducts him. John and Sam arrive and find Ted, just as Donny is about to cut him open, and John punches Donny in the face. Ted reconciles with John and Sam. As they leave, however, Donny, having regained consciousness, severs the cables holding up a display model of the Enterprise-D and it swings towards Ted. John pushes Ted out of the way to save him and is rendered unconscious before Donny is arrested.
John is rushed to the hospital, where he flatlines. The next day, the group is told that John has died and tearfully visit him, but John wakes up and reveals the doctors revived him and worked with him afterwards to prank them. Although Sam is initially furious, she and John kiss as the group rejoices. Meighan, inspired by John's selflessness and Ted's emotions over the injured John, takes their case and successfully overturns the ruling by demonstrating that Ted is self-aware, feels complex emotions, and is capable of empathy. Ted proposes to Tami-Lynn again as they leave court. Sometime later, Ted and Tami-Lynn are remarried and adopt a baby boy, naming him after Rocky character "Apollo Creed", while John and Sam happily pursue their own relationship. John even gives Apollo Creed a teddy bear of his own.
In a post-credit scene, a person who previously bought a box of Trix from Ted at the grocery store returns to the store, which is empty, seemingly injured. He puts the cereal back on the counter and leaves with a look of betrayal.
During the 2012 American Dad! Comic-Con panel, MacFarlane stated that he would be open to a sequel to Ted. [14] In September 2012, chief executive Steve Burke said that the studio would be looking to make a sequel to Ted "as soon as possible". [15] In January 2013, on Anderson Live , Wahlberg confirmed that a sequel was in the works and that it would be the first sequel in his career, while also revealing that he and Ted (as voiced by MacFarlane) would appear at the 85th Academy Awards. [16] On October 2, 2013, it was announced Ted 2 would be released on June 26, 2015. [17]
Initially the storyline for the film was quite different and involved John and Ted's attempt to smuggle pot across the country, [18] but, due to concerns that the concept was too similar to then-recently released We're the Millers , the concept was scrapped and the storyline was overhauled to one inspired by John Jakes' North and South series as well as the life of Dred Scott. [18] During the period when the film was about drug smuggling, Mila Kunis' character was still in the sequel; however, when the storyline was changed, it required a lawyer to be the female lead and there was not room for Kunis's character. [18]
On February 14, 2014, Amanda Seyfried was cast as the female lead. [19] On June 17, 2014, Jessica Barth was confirmed to reprise her role as Tami-Lynn. [20] In August and September 2014, it was announced that Patrick Warburton would return as John's co-worker Guy, [7] and that Morgan Freeman, [21] Nana Visitor, [13] Michael Dorn, [8] Dennis Haysbert, [11] Liam Neeson [10] and John Slattery had joined the cast. [9]
Principal photography began on July 28, 2014, and ended on November 13, 2014. [22] [23] [24] [25]
The film's soundtrack was released by Republic Records on June 26, 2015. [26] It features the score by Walter Murphy and songs co-written by Seth MacFarlane and Murphy, including "Mean Ol’ Moon", which is performed by Amanda Seyfried and Norah Jones separately. The soundtrack also includes "Mess Around" by Ray Charles, "One Foot in Front of the Other" by Bone Symphony and "New York" by Alfred Newman.
All tracks by Walter Murphy except where indicated.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "The Wedding" | 1:52 | ||
2. | "Steppin' Out with My Baby" | Irving Berlin | John Wilson, Curtis Stigers and Maida Vale Singers | 6:19 |
3. | "Let's Make a Baby" | 0:37 | ||
4. | "Tom Brady's House" | 1:37 | ||
5. | "Ted's Court Case" | 0:55 | ||
6. | "One Foot in Front of the Other" | Bone Symphony | Bone Symphony | 3:12 |
7. | "Leaving for New York" | 1:12 | ||
8. | "Mess Around" | Ray Charles | Ray Charles | 2:41 |
9. | "Out of Control" | 0:26 | ||
10. | "Mean Ol' Moon" | Seth MacFarlane & Walter Murphy | Amanda Seyfried | 2:03 |
11. | "New York" | Alfred Newman | Alfred Newman | 2:27 |
12. | "The Comic-Con Fight" | 1:11 | ||
13. | "Wake Up, Johnny / Code Blue / John Is Back" | 3:23 | ||
14. | "Meighan's Speech / Finale" | 3:55 | ||
15. | "Mean Ol' Moon" (swing version) | 1:16 | ||
16. | "Mean Ol' Moon" | Seth MacFarlane & Walter Murphy | Norah Jones | 3:05 |
Total length: | 27:21 |
On January 27, 2015, the film's teaser poster was released. [27] This was followed two days later by its trailer. [28] The film premiered on June 24, 2015, in New York City, with its general release two days later. [29]
Ted 2 was released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 15, 2015, in the United States by Universal Studios Home Entertainment. [30] Both formats contained a theatrical version (115 minutes) and an "unrated" extended version (125 minutes), containing 10 minutes of extra footage. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 23, 2015, both formats containing the two versions.
On May 3, 2016, Ted vs. Flash Gordon: The Ultimate Collection was released on Blu-ray plus Digital HD, featuring Flash Gordon and the unrated versions of Ted and Ted 2. [31]
Ted 2 grossed $81.5 million in North America and $135.2 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $216.7 million, against a budget of $68 million. [5]
In the United States and Canada, Ted 2 opened on the same day as the family adventure film Max , across 3,441 theaters. It made $2.6 million from its Thursday night showings from 2,647 theaters, [32] and $13.2 million on its opening day. [33] In its opening weekend, Ted 2 earned $33.5 million, finishing third at the box office behind Jurassic World ($54.5 million) and Inside Out ($52.3 million). [34] The opening total was a disappointment, considering the film's initial projected opening of $45–50 million, and its predecessor's $54.4 million opening three years prior. [34] It was director MacFarlane's second consecutive underperforming opening, following 2014's A Million Ways to Die in the West , which opened to $16.8 million. [34]
Outside North America, the film earned an estimated $20 million in its opening weekend from 26 countries. It opened in number two in Germany ($3.7 million), Russia and the CIS ($3.5 million) and Australia ($3.3 million). [35]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 44% based on 209 reviews with an average rating of 5.30/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Ted 2 reunites Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane for another round of sophomoric, scatological humor -- and just as before, your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance for all of the above." [36] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 48 out of 100 based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [37] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, lower than the "A−" earned by its predecessor. [38]
James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film two out of four stars, saying "It would be disingenuous for me to claim that Ted 2 isn't funny. Although I was often bored by the plodding direction of the story, I laughed from time-to-time." [39] Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C+, saying "You realize what it must be like to be trapped in detention with a bunch of 15-year-old boys who think there's nothing more hilarious than repeating the same jokes about porn, pot, and pulling your pud over and over again. It's funny, until it's not." [40] Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic gave the film two out of five stars, saying "The film, like most of MacFarlane's work, is a mix of occasional laugh-out-loud moments - there are some here - and cringe-worthy misfires that play a lot more tone-deaf than he seems to intend." [41] Brian Truitt of USA Today gave the film two out of four stars, saying "MacFarlane and co-writers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild have a gift for referential riffs, but the plot is the thinnest of narratives just to connect all the comedy bits." [42] Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger gave the film one and a half stars out of four, saying "Sure, MacFarlane can write simple jokes as long as the 'f' key on his laptop holds out. Some of them are even funny. But a lot of them don't pay off, and most trod the same well-worn territory -- potheads, practical jokes, politically incorrect cliches." [43] Lindsey Bahr of the Associated Press gave the film a negative review, saying "In an admirable effort to go a different route, MacFarlane has instead done something hopelessly bizarre: He's given his film too much sincerity and story, and it practically crushes whatever fun does exist." [44]
Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the film three out of four stars, saying "MacFarlane is cynical, but he's not a cynic, and there are moments in Ted 2 where you can sense a longing for the gentler and more upbeat entertainment of an earlier generation." [45] Soren Anderson of The Seattle Times gave the film two out of four stars, saying "In the midst of comedy, seriousness. The combination feels forced. A more disciplined and smarter director might have been able to successfully blend the two elements, but crude dude MacFarlane hasn't the skill to bring it off." [46] Dan Callahan of The Wrap gave the film a negative review, saying "Bad taste needs to be more honest and more all-inclusive if it's to make a lasting impression, and MacFarlane's bad taste here is both too wishy-washy and too knee-jerk cruel to really make any impact." [47] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times gave the film a negative review, saying "Mr. MacFarlane can be funny, but Ted 2 is insultingly lazy hack work that is worth discussing primarily because of how he tries and fails to turn race, and specifically black men, into comedy fodder." [48] Jacob Hall of New York Daily News gave the film one out of five stars, saying "Once again, you will believe that a talking CGI stuffed animal can be a racist, hateful monster with no redeeming qualities ... but his greatest sin is that he's not funny." [49] Peter Howell of the Toronto Star gave the film two out of four stars, saying "If you didn't see and laugh at the first Ted, and maybe also at MacFarlane's button-pushing TV series Family Guy, then another movie deserves your entertainment dollars." [50] A.A. Dowd of The A.V. Club gave the film a C+, saying "Ted 2 strikes a sometimes-awkward balance between sincerity and cheap provocation. It also forgets that the real draw of the first film wasn't Ted himself, but Wahlberg, whose sweet-lug routine scored a lot of belly laughs." [51]
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
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AACTA Awards | 9 December 2015 | Best Visual Effects or Animation | Glenn Melenhorst Ineke Majoor | Nominated | [52] |
People's Choice Awards | January 6, 2016 | Favorite Comedic Movie | Nominated | [53] | |
MTV Movie Awards | April 10, 2016 | Best Virtual Performance | Seth MacFarlane | Nominated | [54] |
Saturn Awards | June 22, 2016 | Best Fantasy Film | Nominated | [55] |
In June 2015, Collider asked if the studio was already planning a third film; MacFarlane replied: "It's all based on appetite. If Ted 2 does as well as the first one, it means people want to see more of these characters. If that happens, then there would likely be a Ted 3. The franchise, to me, is one that's more character-based than premise-based. If you look at it like episodes in television, if you have characters that people like and they want to see them, again and again, you can tell any number of different stories. If there's a desire for it, then yeah, we would do a Ted 3." [56]
On October 27, 2015, during an interview on Today MacFarlane, again, did not rule out the possibility of Ted 3, stating: "We don't know, I like to kind of have some space between Ted [films], so it's possible there will be another one but there are no immediate plans." [57]
On September 13, 2021, MacFarlane posted an image on Instagram of the Ted stuffed bear, writing "The original Ted stuffy mentally preparing for his return." [58]
In April 2022, it was announced that a prequel series was in development for Peacock, with writers Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh joining MacFarlane as the series' showrunners. MacFarlane is also set to reprise his role as the title character. [59] The series was released on January 11, 2024.
Family Guy is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series premiered on January 31, 1999, following Super Bowl XXXIII, with the rest of the first season airing from April 11, 1999. The show centers around the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois, their children, Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian. Set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, the show exhibits much of its humor in the form of metafictional cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture.
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. MacFarlane is well known as the creator and star of the television series Family Guy and The Orville (2017–2022), and co-creator of the television series American Dad! and The Cleveland Show (2009–2013). He also co-wrote, directed, and starred in the films Ted (2012) and its sequel Ted 2 (2015), and A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014).
Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis is an American actress. Born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, and raised in Los Angeles, she began playing Jackie Burkhart on the Fox television series That '70s Show (1998–2006) at age 15. She has voiced Meg Griffin on the Fox animated series Family Guy since 1999.
Amanda Michelle Seyfried is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She began acting at 15, with recurring roles as Lucy Montgomery in the CBS soap opera As the World Turns (1999–2001) and Joni Stafford in the ABC soap opera All My Children (2003). She came to prominence for her feature film debut in the teen comedy Mean Girls (2004), and for her roles as Lilly Kane in the UPN mystery drama series Veronica Mars (2004–2006) and Sarah Henrickson in the HBO drama series Big Love (2006–2011).
Ted may refer to:
"Death Has a Shadow" is the series premiere and the first episode of the first season of the American animated television series Family Guy. Written by series creator Seth MacFarlane and directed by Peter Shin, the episode aired as a sneak peek on the Fox network in the United States on January 31, 1999, following Super Bowl XXXIII. In this episode, Peter loses his job after drinking too much at a stag party, causing him to fall asleep at work. He signs up for welfare to keep his wife Lois from finding out but gets much more money than he expected. After spending his money foolishly, Lois finds out and Peter decides to dump it from a blimp at the Super Bowl. He is arrested for welfare fraud and must await his family's rescue, as well as various performers who would later serve as frequent recurring and guest voices on the series.
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg, formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor and former rapper. His work as a leading man spans the comedy, drama, and action genres. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, nine Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
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Ted is a 2012 American fantasy comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, and Wellesley Wild. The film stars Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, with Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi in supporting roles, and MacFarlane providing the voice and motion capture of the title character. The film tells the story of John Bennett, a Boston native whose childhood wish brings his teddy bear friend Ted to life. However, in adulthood, Ted and John's friendship begins to interfere with the progression of John's relationship with his girlfriend, Lori Collins.
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Seth MacFarlane is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. MacFarlane began his career as an animator and writer for Hanna-Barbera for several television series, including Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory, and created a sequel to his college thesis film Larry & Steve.
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Ted is an American fantasy comedy series created by Seth MacFarlane for Peacock. The third installment in the Ted franchise, it serves as a prequel to the feature films. It stars MacFarlane reprising his role as the voice of the titular character, alongside Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, and Giorgia Whigham.
The Ted franchise consists of American comedy installments, based on characters created by Seth MacFarlane. The plot centers around the titular teddy bear that magically comes to life, after the child he was gifted to wishes for it on a shooting star. Together, the pair form a friendship that lasts into their adulthood. The films star Seth MacFarlane and Mark Wahlberg as the two best friends, Ted and John Bennett, respectively, while the television series stars MacFarlane with Max Burkholder as a younger John, alongside an ensemble cast of the wider Bennett family.