Peacock is taking the foul-mouthed teddy bear into animation while bringing back the stars of the original movie franchise.
Ted is heading into animation, but Seth MacFarlane is bringing plenty of familiar voices along for the ride.
Peacock’s TED: The Animated Series will serve as a direct sequel to Ted and Ted 2, moving the story forward 12 years after the second movie. MacFarlane returns as Ted alongside Mark Wahlberg as John Bennett, Amanda Seyfried as Sam, and Jessica Barth as Tami-Lynn.
The new chapter finds John and Ted living next door to each other with families of their own while stuck in dead-end jobs. Growing older clearly has not stopped the longtime thunder-buddies from encouraging each other’s terrible ideas as they deal with marriage, parenting and adulthood.
Kyle Mooney joins the franchise as Apollo, while Liz Richman voices Ruth.
Ted And John Finally Move Beyond The Movies
The animated series gives the franchise a chance to explore something neither the movies nor Peacock’s live-action series has tackled yet: what happens when John and Ted are forced to actually grow up.
The original Ted, released in 2012, introduced Wahlberg as John Bennett, whose childhood wish brought his teddy bear to life. Decades later, Ted had become John’s foul-mouthed, marijuana-loving best friend and a major obstacle in John’s attempt to build an adult life.
MacFarlane directed the movie and voiced Ted, bringing the fast-paced humor associated with Family Guy into a live-action buddy comedy. The movie established the unlikely friendship at the center of the franchise and became successful enough to launch a sequel.
Ted 2 followed in 2015 with John and Ted once again at the center of the story. Jessica Barth returned as Tami-Lynn, while Amanda Seyfried joined the franchise as attorney Samantha “Sam” Jackson.
Now, Wahlberg and Seyfried will return to those roles for the first time in more than a decade.
Rather than recasting the characters for animation, the new series keeps the movie continuity intact and uses the original cast to explore where their lives went after Ted 2.
Peacock Already Expanded Ted’s Story With Live-Action Series
The animated series is not Peacock’s first trip into Ted’s world.
The live-action Ted series went in the opposite direction by serving as a prequel to the movies. Set in 1993, the show follows a teenage John Bennett, played by Max Burkholder, as he grows up alongside Ted in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Scott Grimes plays John’s father, Matty, with Alanna Ubach as his mother, Susan, and Giorgia Whigham as his cousin Blaire. MacFarlane once again provides the voice and performance for Ted.
The prequel effectively filled in a major portion of the friendship only hinted at during the movies, showing John and Ted navigating high school, John’s family, and Ted’s fading celebrity status together. Peacock has released two seasons of the series totaling 15 episodes.
With TED: The Animated Series, the franchise can now operate on both sides of the movie timeline. The live-action show explores John and Ted growing up together, while the animated series takes them further into adulthood.
Original Ted Stars Reunite For Animated Sequel
MacFarlane created TED: The Animated Series with Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh, who also worked with him on the live-action Peacock series. Corrigan and Walsh serve as co-showrunners, with animation handled by Rough Draft Studios, Inc.
The main voice cast includes:
- Seth MacFarlane as Ted
- Mark Wahlberg as John
- Amanda Seyfried as Sam
- Jessica Barth as Tami-Lynn
- Kyle Mooney as Apollo
- Liz Richman as Ruth
The decision to animate the next chapter also brings the franchise closer to the medium MacFarlane has spent decades working in through shows including Family Guy and American Dad.
The new series follows John and Ted as neighbors with families and jobs of their own, while their friendship continues to push both of them toward questionable decisions.
After two theatrical movies and two seasons of a live-action prequel, Ted’s story is now expanding into another format without leaving its original stars behind.
TED: The Animated Series premieres on Peacock December 17, 2026, with eight episodes. Additional episodes will stream in 2027.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
