MacFarlane has been on the air for well over 20 years, and though Family Guy may be his most popular project, his other shows and movies have become instant cult classics with his fan base. One such franchise that is among MacFarlane's best is Ted, the films about a teddy bear named Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) that was brought to life by his best friend John (Mark Wahlberg) when he was a kid and how the two of them are still together twenty-five years later. The sequel, Ted 2, came out only three years after the original premiered in 2012, so why has it taken so long for Ted 3 to come out?

There have been some difficulties and criticisms that have followed the movie. Because the show takes the image of a childhood toy and presents you with the unexpected F-bombs and potty humor you wouldn't see in a kid's show, critics and TV censors have been upset by it. But that's exactly why fans love Ted. And now it looks like we'll be getting everything we want from the bear and more. With MacFarlane recently announcing that he will be turning the movie into a prequel series to premiere on NBC's streaming platform Peacock, fans can rejoice. The near-decade wait for Ted 3 is finally over.

Update November 27, 2023: This article has been updated by Jessica Peerez with more information relating to Seth MacFarlane's new Ted project and why that latest installment is set to be a series.

Seth MacFarlane's Ted
Universal Pictures

While fans might have worried that critics kept Ted 3 from being produced, or perhaps that the COVID pandemic slowed the process, it turns out that none of that is the case. The real issue was MacFarlane's legal battle over the Ted franchise. MacFarlane was sued back in 2014 for alleged copyright infringement by Bengal Mangle, the creator of the web series Acting School Academy, who claimed that MacFarlane's living teddy bear had too many similarities with a character on his show.

The web series, airing back in 2009, was released on YouTube, Vimeo, FunnyorDie, iTunes, and Facebook and featured a teddy bear that also enjoys profanity and drugs. To quote the actual lawsuit, the creator claimed MacFarlane's bear "is a generally vulgar, yet humorous character" and sought compensatory and statutory damages, costs, an injunction, and a disgorgement of profits.

Related: Every Seth MacFarlane Movie and TV Show, Ranked

Thankfully, the lawsuit was eventually dismissed. The web series creator withdrew their claim in 2015. Even though the legal battle occurred after Ted 2 was finished but before it came out, the ordeal created difficulties for the intellectual property. When Mangle requested an injunction, which would have stopped MacFarlane from using a living teddy bear in his movies, there were worries that even Ted 2 would have been halted in its release. But a lot has happened since 2015, and now it looks like there is some light at the end of the tunnel for fans hoping to see Ted 3.

Ted 3 Will Be an R-Rated TV Series

Ted prequel
Peacock

Finally, after nearly a decade, Ted is returning to life on NBC's streaming platform Peacock. Seth MacFarlane was happy to announce that he was bringing the character back not in a movie but in a TV series. He gave Collider some details on the show:

"It's a prequel that takes place in 1993 and embraces that era, embraces the nineties and tracks what is essentially Ted's adolescence, I guess. Ted and John's adolescence. And, growing up in a Boston suburb. Look, as somebody who grew up in that part of the country, it's a fun thing to try and recreate. The sets themselves are oddly nostalgic. But it's going great.

If you're worrying that you might not get all the vulgar comedy and F-bombs you love, don't. MacFarlane says this show will definitely be an R-rated comedy and that even the streamer has agreed. The Ted prequel series will be set in 1993 and give fans a chance to see how both John and his foul-mouthed teddy bear grew to be the characters that viewers encountered in the films. Ted will be John's loyal sidekick as John grapples with the challenges that his teen years bring. Seth MacFarlane will once again voice the titular teddy bear, with Max Burkholder taking on the role of teenage John Bennett. Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach will play the roles of John's parents, Matt and Susan.

A short teaser trailer for the series was released by Peacock on November 16, 2023. The trailer shows the 1993 Ted and the 2023 Ted side by side, as Ted writes a letter to future Ted.

Why Is Ted A Series And Not A Movie?

Ted 2
Universal Pictures 

Since news that Ted would be a prequel series rather than a third film was made public, fans have wondered what prompted MacFarlane to make the switch from film to TV series. One possible reason for the shift could be Ted 2's box office performance. While the first Ted film grossed $549 million worldwide, Ted 2 only managed to accumulate a total of $215 million on a global scale. The second film also faced extremely harsh reviews and was not very well-received by fans. The film was criticized for banking too heavily on the same humor that was used in the first movie, and, therefore, being repetitive and monotonous.

Related Link: 10 Best Movies on Peacock to Watch Right Now

The decision to shift away from continuing with the films also prevents John from possibly growing out of his relationship with the teddy bear. A third film would likely have put John in his 50s, and it is unlikely that a plot could revolve around his pot-smoking, vulgar-joking relationship with Ted at that age and still be successful. Given this, the decision to stick with a prequel series rather than an additional film makes sense, as a series also gives fans the opportunity to view John and Ted's relationship at a different stage in life and in a new light.

The other issue is the star Mark Wahlberg. The actor is in high demand and is expensive, so a show set before the events of the first film allows the creators to recast the role while maintaining continuity. It opens up new stories to tell and gives Peacock, a streaming service with a respectable lineup but nowhere near the titan of Disney+ or Max, an IP show that can hopefully drive subscribers.

At the time of writing, Ted has officially wrapped production. The series is now ready to head to screens, much to the delight of fans who have been eagerly anticipating a return of the bear for 8 years now. The recently released trailer for the Ted series confirmed that the show will start streaming on Peacock on January 11, 2024. The new show will comprise a total of seven episodes. The series will be airing 12 years after the first film opened and almost ten years since audiences last saw Ted, hopefully they have missed him.