In 1985, eight-year-old John Bennett, a lonely only child, wishes on Christmas that the giant teddy bear he has just received could come to life. The wish comes true, and the bear, named Ted, briefly becomes a celebrity. Nearly three decades later, John, now an adult, still shares his Boston apartment with Ted, a loyal companion with a taste for excess. His relationship with Lori Collins, with whom he hopes to build a future, begins to strain under the bear's constant presence in his life. The film explores the clash between an unusual friendship and the demands of growing up, with irreverent, adult-oriented humor.

How it was made

The film marked Seth MacFarlane's feature directorial debut. He co-wrote the script with Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, based on a story by MacFarlane, who also voices and performs motion capture for Ted. He shared producing duties with Scott Stuber, John Jacobs and Jason Clark. Filming began in May 2011 in Boston and Swampscott, Massachusetts. Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis lead the human cast, with Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi in supporting roles. Produced by Media Rights Capital and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film blends crude comedy with a sentimental story, and Walter Murphy's score accompanies much of the narrative. The soundtrack includes songs by Norah Jones, Queen and the Bee Gees, reinforcing its nostalgic take on the 1980s.

Reception and legacy

The film opened in the United States on June 29, 2012. Critics were divided: they praised MacFarlane's direction and voice performance, the work of Wahlberg and Kunis, the visual effects and the soundtrack, while the screenplay drew reservations. Adult audiences embraced it, and it was a commercial success, grossing about $549 million worldwide against a budget of roughly $69 million. It earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, which went to Skyfall. Its box-office performance led to a sequel in 2015, establishing Ted as a franchise.

Stills

Trailer

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Trivia

Behind-the-camera debut

Seth MacFarlane made his feature directorial debut with this film, while also writing it and voicing its title character.

A song on the soundtrack

Norah Jones appears as herself, and her song Come Away with Me is part of the soundtrack.

More films by Seth MacFarlane

Ted 22015

A Million Ways to Die in the West2014

Original Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (es) and Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.