Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors
Hold onto your mustaches, folks! Ted Lasso might just make a grand return to the pitch after all.
Just when fans thought they’d seen the last of AFC Richmond, chatter of a fourth season is making the rounds. Reports from Deadline, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter hint that Warner Bros. Television is gearing up for another run with the beloved soccer comedy. They’ve already secured three key British actors under the UK’s Equity guidelines: Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent), and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins).
Michael Kovac/Getty Images
But there’s more work to do. The studio is now looking to renegotiate contracts with the American cast, including the heart and soul of the series, Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), along with Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard) and Juno Temple (Keeley Jones).
Bill Lawrence, co-creator of the series, spilled the beans to Collider earlier in August that the future of the sitcom really hinges on the 48-year-old Saturday Night Live alum. “Whatever Jason feels like doing and whatever his decision is, we’re all down with it,” he said.
Despite wrapping up what seemed like a final third season in May 2023, the network has left the door slightly ajar for more stories from Richmond. “I mean, you watched the finale, there’s a little bit of a door that could be kicked back open if need be,” Warner Bros. TV CEO Channing Dungey told Variety in January. “I wouldn’t put the period on the end of that sentence just yet. There is still a lot of love for ‘Ted Lasso.’ And I think that there still is a lot of enthusiasm on the part of Apple for ‘Ted Lasso.’ Should the opportunity arise, we’d be excited to jump back into making more…. There are always conversations that are ongoing, just nothing that’s official.”
As the studio and cast navigate contracts and schedules, the possibility of revisiting the charming world of Ted Lasso is more than just a hopeful thought. It’s a pending reality that could bring more of its much-needed optimism and humor to screens worldwide.
Stay tuned, as more official updates are expected to dribble in soon.