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EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has stepped up to acquire the $65 million budget Ted, an R-rated comedy that will mark the feature directorial debut of Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. The film, which was developed by Media Rights Capital, is most succinctly described as a “Hard R” comedy about a man and his teddy bear. The feature will mix live action and CG. MacFarlane will also co-star and provide the voice for the CG-generated title character. MacFarlane wrote the script with Family Guy cohorts Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, and he will produce with MRC, Scott Stuber and John Jacobs.
I’ve heard that the intention of Universal, MRC and MacFarlane is to get the film into production this year. That is subject to delicate discussions that are taking place right now between Fox, MacFarlane’s WME reps and attorneys Karl Austen and Jim Jackoway. MacFarlane will work the film around his exhausting duties supervising the animated Fox shows Family Guy, The Cleveland Show and American Dad!, and providing a majority of the voices. Fox and MacFarlane have long wanted to make a Family Guy theatrical feature, but Ted will come first. Fox apparently was reluctant to embrace the teddy bear movie because of its R-rating.
The Ted deal expands the relationship between MacFarlane and MRC that began with Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy, an online venture that involves Google and Youtube that will culminate in the creation of 60 sponsored online cartoon creations. As is the case with all product generated through Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu’s MRC movie deals, MacFarlane will get an ownership stake in Ted, with Universal essentially making a long-term licensing deal for the film. Universal has been MRC’s most consistent movie customer, and the next major project coming is The Adjustment Bureau, the George Nolfi-directed adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story that stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Universal releases the film July 30.
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I just do NOT get the Seth McFarland thing. Must not be in the right demo (boys 12-24 who want to have sex and don’t have a clue how to talk to a girl).
You should feel lucky that none of us know how to talk to women. There is no chance of us spreading our genes to continue the species. Also, on topic, MacFarlane continues to flex his creative muscles. Some creators might be content to sit back and do nothing once they establish a property (or series of them, in this case), but Seth voices, writes, produces and directs all of FOX’s Sunday night lineup (the degree to which The Simpsons has decided to *become* Family Guy only bolsters his influence). I don’t know why I find myself piling praise on him, but he is a self-made man and has certainly become *the guy* whom FOX does NOT want to piss off.
I doubt Ted will be a smash hit, but this could be the start of a whole new phase of his career.
Simpsons hasn’t become like Family Guy. That’s just silly. It’s the other way around and always has been.
Will you have sex with me, BriteBlonde1?
You could not be more off the mark. Not only is MacFarlane (not McFarland) one of the most creative and intelligent content creators and voices working in pop culture today, his shows attract a much broader audience than you suggest.
This reminds me of the time…
…Seth decided to pad out a show with the lonnngggessttt takes in television history…
(Actually, I don’t think there are *any* FG episodes that don’t “blackout” like an alcoholic with Alzheimers)
You’re right, you are probably more the 39-55, religious zealot, closed minded moron demographic. Get a sense of humor, then you might get some of their jokes.
What you mean is, “You’re not allowed to think or believe in anything other than what Seth McFarland wants us to think.” That’s just as close-minded. Stop letting McFarland think for you. He can’t stand anybody else’s opinions that contradict his own, can’t write a joke to save his dick, and has three shows that do nothing but suck Cartman’s balls. I should like his shows (I still watch American Dad on occasion, but then I start feeling like the same themes were already explored on his other shows), I have many of McFarland’s beliefs, but he’s just not funny or shocking enough to warrent all this lavish attention to his mental masturbation. I don’t always agree with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, but at least they respect the rights we have as Americans to think and believe any ridiculous thing we want (well, with the exception of Scientology, which is self-evidently a scam), even when they’re mocking it.
Wonder how much cash MRC is putting up? It’s probably another deal like SHORTS or THE BOX where MRC takes on most of the risk and then gets slaughtered in the end and everyone else makes out ok… As risk averse as Uni is being right now, it has got to be something like that.
I absolutely love Family Guy and for sure not a boy or 12-24!
Nothing funnier than Stewie (Seth) talking!~ Certainly the show zings so smoothly, if you are not well versed in what’s current you might miss it! The premise of TED with Seth doing a voice..I am so there!
Seth is a genius and I am happy to see him move his comedy into theaters! We need more funny movies and he is the guy to do it!
$65 million is a preposterous budget and this will be a huge bomb. There’s a long history of TV creators thinking they’re popular enough to make a hit film, and with the exception of JJ Abrams, this path is pretty much riddled with graves. Just ask Mike Judge, Larry David, Gary Shandling, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Dick Wolf, Larry Gelbart, need I go on?
Millions of people tuning in for free entertainment on a Sunday night does not translate into them paying $12 on a Saturday night at the movie theater. Especially when the premise of the movie is frightfully close to “The Beaver” and sounds pretty feminine.
This trend of a project getting funded because the phrase “Hard R” is thrown around, making it sound like it bears some kind of resemblance to “The Hangover,” needs to stop! “Hot Tub Time Machine” or “The Goods,” anyone?
Geez, don’t know why they didn’t listen to you. You sound like the fountain of all movie knowledge.
NOT!
you stole that joke from family guy!
But the Waynes have been incredibly successful in the film world…
Totally agree. Take Judd Apatow for example, what the hell did he ever do after TV … or Larry Charles, he really bombed after Seinfeld. Or Bob Orci & Alex Kurtzman – their feature career is a joke, did they even work after ALIAS. Wait a second …
None of those guys were name brands unto themselves when they released their first film. This film will definitely be sold on McFarlane’s name and looks to be a major reason why they’d invest so much money in it.
Kennan Ivory Wayans – Scary Movie (kinda succesful)
Mike Judge – Office Space and Extract (not 100 million dollar blockbusters, but popular with fans and critics, especially Office Space)
So, your kind of an idiot. Though I will agree that 65 million dollars is a preposterous budget. 30-35 million should be more than enough for a film like this. I understand that there is a lot of CG, but a comedy should always stand on it’s writing, timing, acting, etc. and not special effects.
One man proves this without a doubt: Joss Whedon, who is currently in the process of destroying the Avengers saga.
Hunted deer in the theatre has posted the most intelligent comment I’ve seen. It’s also tiresome to hear the whine of self-professing “BrilliantBrunette2″ and others making assumptions that if you don’t laugh at THEIR style humor, then you are auto-categorized as a religious zealot, etc. Spin, spin, spin. I have serious doubts about this project. But time will tell.
family guy is awesome, that being said this idea sounds retarded!
dumb.
Agree with Anonymous, hard to imagine Uni paying much of anything for domestic.
And, no way Seth is giving any kind of a discount for his services (althought, as the lead actor, he should probably be putting up his OWN money).
Prediction, this is the straw that finally breaks MRC’s back (can’t believe it still exists anyway).
I guess WME figures they’re best off getting one last absurdo-deal for one of their biggest clients before their quasi-legal production entity goes the way of AMG.
And 65 mil????? That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long, long time.
And especially funny on the heels of news that Warner Bros. is making a Todd Phillips comedy for less thatn ONE-FIFTH the cost.
This is just hilarious.
Endeavor pulled their money out of MRC a long time ago… Don’t know how much they lost, but it was at least before most of the string of bombs MRC has put up.
universal is dumbest studio around.who is giving these idiots a blank check. as if the looming disatser of battleship isn’t enough. wolfman, repo men, green zone…wow!
Too bad society really believes that Seth writes his own shows. His staff does and he just voices them. Give credit to where it’s due man. Karma is a bitch and the covenant that you’re bringing against yourself is sort of funny. Epic Fail.
Despite the postings of McF’s family members above singing his praises, the guy continues to churn out mediocre work at best. Not funny. Won’t stand test of time. And doesn’t really garner very large numbers. Impossible to tell whether Ted is a good or bad idea from a one-liner, but McF has never shown great range. Fairly easy to predict tone and execution level. Pass.
I predict it will be just as awful as his shows and I hope it sucks the big one at the box office. Sorry Marky Mark
Nice to know that Seth is ripping off Mr. Wiggles. Is he totally out of ideas now?
Not the first time he’s blatantly stolen from the comics industry: Ever hear of Chris Ware’s “Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kid on Earth”? Well, no need: just look at MacFarlane’s rip-off baby Stewie. Hopefully, his next “idea” will involve a rough outsider with claws that pop out of his hands and is called “Whoa-verine”; then Disney could happily sue him into the stone age.
STOP HATING – He’s young, rich and funny…. and you’re not
Let me guess, they won’t even read the teddy bear from A.I.
Typical.
Ha ha, I can’t wait to see this no-talent hack fail.
But he’s found the fountain of youth — he just keeps looking younger! How does he do that?
Interesting. As long as it’s close to the humor that “Family Guy” once did so well, and not the endless barrage of obscure pop-culture references and toilet humor that the new episodes degraded to.
But where’s Relativity Media in all of this? Or is this a strictly MRC and Universal affair?
This is a laugh and a half. Seth is smart guy but, with a budget of 65 million and having never done a feature, he’s probably going to fall on his ass.
Mike Judge did OK with a little movie by the name of Office Space.
Judge is/was/always will be miles beyond S McF… yet he didn’t quite get it done with IDIOCRACY nor EXTRACT. (Sorry MJ, it’s true).
Features are different from tv. Yes, people make the transition, but this is allegedly an R rated movie about a teddy bear with a budget over $60 million. Not a great plan.
Extract was only a 7mm budget with stars. The luckiest man alive needs an extra 58mm to produce HIS FIRST film? for what???fart jokes cost that much more?
Honestly, all of you haters sound terribly jealous of Mr. MacFarlane’s success and a bit bitter. Most TV is crap but his take on stuff is so funny, he knows the zeitgeist. I think unleashing his talent without the restrictions of censors could be nothing less than fabulous! So please stop showing your dark side, I know anonymity can do that.
9 outta 10 times HARD R is just an excuse for weak writing…. because nobody wants to be seen as uncool….they laugh at it…especially in Hollywood.
so family guy was good until its fourth season. but with the cleveland show and american dad and weak sauce family guy now days. this movie will be great. dont you agree seth green and alex borstein and mila kunis. cant you imagine all those hacks talking about how great seth will do. and this guy is a retard, ever see him on a late night talk show. soooooooooooo uncomfortable.
I like Seth MacFarlane. And TED sounds absolutely SICK! I can’t wait to read more about it. I think I am really gonna wanna see this one.
Wow, a whole movie of Family Style flashbacks only they’re R-Rated… will be interesting to see how MRC fairs once they’re dough gets traced back to Hamas.
As soon as I saw that Seth MacFarlane was involved, I knew I didn’t need to read any farther. His fan base is a bunch of mouth breathers, and if you don’t believe me, go watch the crowd when he shows up at Comic Con. Family Guy needs to be canceled a third time and stay dead this time.
$65MM budget and he’s the voice of the cg bear…I’ll buy a ticket to see that directorial debut.
Ran into MacFarlane at the OC Pacific Symphony when Sinatra Jr. was performing. My wife’s been a huge fan of Family Guy, is 28 and therefore outside the expected demo. Incredibly gracious to us both. He chatted it up with us before the concert and at intermission (no one else knew who he was in that crowd).
Good god people! if your gonna trash talk someone, at the very least learn how to spell the guys name. It’s right here on the same page ya don’t even have to look it up.