Ted Lasso season 4 could begin production as early as next year, as Warner Brothers renews the contracts of key cast members.
There are few success stories as unlikely as Ted Lasso. Originating as a character Jason Sudeikis played to promote NBC Sports’ coverage of the Premier League in 2013, it was another four years before Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence came aboard to develop the series for Apple TV+. Sudeikis’ long-time friend and colleague Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly were also among the creative team.
After three successful seasons, the show ended in 2023, wrapping up all the character arcs but leaving plenty of room for a continuation. We reported earlier in August that another season was all down to Jason Sudeikis.
According to Deadline, season 4 is much closer to production than we thought. They have renewed contracts with key cast members Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift. The next step is to reach out to actors whose SAG-AFTRA contract options had expired.
Ted Lasso himself Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt and Juno Temple are said to be top of the list. Deadline notes that Phil Dunster’s contract has not been picked up, most likely due to scheduling conflicts. No official greenlight has yet been given, but it appears to only be a matter of time, considering how open the cast have always been in interviews about how close they all are and how much fun they had making the show. If the deals can be made, production could begin in early 2025.
Ted Lasso is ostensibly about AFC Richmond, a fictitious London football club, but the heart of the show lies in the relationships between its characters.Ted’s relentless optimism does not mesh well with the more cynical worldview of the team, but he eventually wins over steely club owner Rebecca (Waddingham), as he attempts to whip the team into shape with the cool and collected Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt).
Then there is former model Keely Jones (Temple), who gradually becomes Rebecca’s best friend, and the rivalries within the team itself, most notably the scowling, foul mouthed footballer with a heart of gold Roy Kent (Goldstein, who also writes for the show) and the cocky, arrogant Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster). Completing the main ensemble is kit boy with low self-esteem Nate (Nick Mohammed) and Rebecca’s second in command Higgins (Swift).
The show quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, with much of the praise going not only to the chemistry of the cast, but to the brilliant writing and structure. Arguably the best thing about Ted Lasso, though, is the tone. It might sound saccharine to say that the show is like a warm hug, but that is exactly what it is. The show launched slap bang in the middle of the Covid pandemic, where a warm, comforting comedy was exactly what the world needed.
We’ll keep you updated as we hear more. In the meantime, you can now buy series 1 to 3 of Ted Lasso on DVD and Blu-Ray here.
