Jason Sudeikis Returning for ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4

Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.

Preview:

Apple TV+ is officially bringing ‘Ted Lasso’ back.
Jason Sudeikis returns to star and produce.
Juno Temple is also making a deal to come back.

It’s time to believe again.

Last August, we got the surprise news that despite the third season seemingly wrapping the story up, Apple TV+ and Warner Bros. TV were exploring opportunities for a new season of hit soccer comedy drama series ‘Ted Lasso.’

“Believe in believe.”

TV-MA3 SeasonsAugust 14th, 2020

At that time, the only people likely to return were Hannah Waddingham (team owner Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (growling veteran player-turned-assistant-coach Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins) –– who are all British actors contracted via the U.K’.s Equity representation organization.

But for the new season to have any real hope of success, the streaming service needed to lock in Jason Sudeikis, who both played the titular soccer coach and had a hand in the writers’ room.

Now, via an official announcement from Apple TV+ comes news that Sudeikis is indeed back,

Here’s Sudeikis’ comment on his return:

“As we all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to ‘look before we leap. In season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to LEAP BEFORE THEY LOOK, discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be.”

Matt Cherniss head of programming for Apple TV+ seems happy to have the show back:

‘Ted Lasso’ has been nothing short of a juggernaut, inspiring a passionate fanbase all over the world, and delivering endless joy and laughter, all while spreading kindness, compassion and unwavering belief, Everyone at Apple is thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with Jason and the brilliant creative minds behind this show.”

And according to Deadline’s sources, Juno Temple, who played Keeley Jones, who evolved from a player’s girlfriend to the girl boss of her own PR agency, is in negotiations to also return, though she’s believed to have a scheduling conflict that is being worked out as the show plans a July shoot in Kansas and the U.K.

What was the story of ‘Ted Lasso’?

(L to R) Brett Goldstein, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.

‘Ted Lasso’ was originally created by Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt (who played Coach Beard), Joe Kelly and Bill Lawrence, and were based on based on a series of NBC Sports commercials about Lasso, an NFL coach drafted into manage a failing British soccer team.

Sudeikis, Kelly and Hunt, along with a writing team, expanded the story out to show Ted being drafted in to coach the lackluster AFC Richmond, though he was originally hired by Rebecca in the hopes that the idea would fail, dooming the team she inherited from arrogant ex-husband Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head).

Yet Ted’s homespun wisdom and cheery demeanor wins over more than just the management –– he starts to inspire more confidence in the players. And if Richmond’s fortunes don’t massively change, they do shift.

The show was a slow-burn hit that, in its first season at least, was a much-needed burst of positivity, since it launched at the height of the pandemic in August 2020. The comedy became an instant global hit and Apple’s signature and — until recently — most-watched original series ever.

In addition to its immense popularity and marquee pop culture status, ‘Ted Lasso’ earned 13 Emmy Awards during its original three-season run, including two back-to-back Outstanding Comedy Series trophies and acting wins for Sudeikis, Goldstein and Waddingham.

What will happen in Season 4?

Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.

In the Season 3 finale, Keeley and Rebecca impulsively, partnered on a potential new venture, AFC Richmond women’s team. That was seen as possibly kicking off the next chapter in the Ted Lasso franchise, and it would certainly qualify as a leap of faith.

The last time we saw Ted at the end of the Season 3 finale, he was coaching his son on a soccer field in Kansas. The handful of Kansas-set scenes in the first three seasons were actually filmed in California, so this would be the first time Kansas native Sudeikis would be heading to the Sunflower State for the show.

With the majority of the returning cast part of the management/office coaching team as portrayed on the show, it seems certain that the focus will move to a new group of players (though we can imagine the series’ producers will look to include cameos from audience favorites from past seasons).

Who is making the new season?

(L to R) Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham in “Ted Lasso,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

For Season 4, veteran comedy showrunner and Emmy Award winner Jack Burditt (who has worked on the likes of ‘Nobody Wants This,’ ‘Modern Family’ and ‘30 Rock’) is joining the show as executive producer under his new overall deal with Apple TV+.

Sudeikis will once again be an executive producer alongside Hunt (who has no acting deal yet but seems sure to also return in front of the camera as Coach Beard), Joe Kelly, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee and Bill Wrubel.

Goldstein, in addition to playing swear-happy player-turned-coach Roy Kent will again pull double duty as writer and executive producer alongside Leanne Bowen. Sara Walker and Phoebe Walsh, who are writers and producers for season four, while Julia Lindon and Dylan Marron are new additions to the writing room.

And finally, though he already has several projects in the works (including the filming third season of ‘Shrinking,’ a second run of ‘Bad Monkey,’ an untitled new show with Steve Carell and a potential reboot of his hit network medical sitcom ‘Scrubs’, Lawrence executive produces via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros.

When will ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 be on screens?

Apple TV+’s big announcement about the return of Ted and co. doesn’t mention a release date yet, but given that potential July shoot, we’d be surprised if it didn’t head to screens next year.