The whole gang is back. Seth MacFarlane reunites with Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried and Jessica Barth for “Ted: The Animated Series,” and the Ted animated series cast also adds two newcomers when the show premieres Thursday, Dec. 17, on Peacock, according to Variety. The series launches with eight episodes, with more coming in 2027.
Who’s in the Ted animated series cast
The show picks up 12 years after “Ted 2” (2015). John and his best friend Ted are now neighbors, both with families and dead-end jobs, and the series follows them egging each other on through bad decisions about marriage, parenting and adult life.
- Seth MacFarlane as Ted, the foul-mouthed teddy bear he has voiced since the 2012 original
- Mark Wahlberg as John, Ted’s best friend
- Amanda Seyfried as Sam, the role she played in “Ted 2”
- Jessica Barth as Tami-Lynn
- Kyle Mooney, the “Saturday Night Live” alum, as new character Apollo
- Liz Richman as new character Ruth
Having the film stars back in the booth is the big draw. It’s the first time the franchise’s core cast has reunited since “Ted 2,” and the animated format frees the story from the limits of live action.
Behind the scenes
MacFarlane created the series with Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh, who both executive produce and serve as co-showrunners. Rough Draft Studios handles animation. Universal Studio Group’s UGT and MRC produce the series with MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door, according to the official announcement.
Why the Ted animated series cast matters
This is Peacock’s second “Ted” series. The streamer aired a live-action prequel set during John’s high school years for two seasons, with MacFarlane voicing Ted opposite Max Burkholder as a teenage John. MacFarlane has said there are no plans for a third season because of its high cost, though he has since expressed interest in more.
The original “Ted” grossed nearly $550 million worldwide in 2012 on a budget reported at $50 million to $65 million. The 2015 sequel earned more than $215 million. Bringing the Ted animated series cast back together gives Peacock a way to tap that audience without the price tag of a CGI bear on a live-action set.
Reporting from Deadline and Variety contributed to this story.
Featured image: Photo: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
