At the age of 25, Seth McFarlane was the creator of a network animated series. “Family Guy” lasted three seasons on Fox before cancellation, but became a major cult hit on DVD. It was recommissioned three years later, and has been running ever since, now in its eighth season, while MacFarlane’s shows “American Dad” and “The Cleveland Show” have joined it in the Sunday night comedy line-up.
Until today, the comedy wunderkind’s influence on the film industry has been limited to occasional rumors of a “Family Guy” movie, and some voice work on Guillermo Del Toro’s “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” but Deadline are reporting this evening that Universal and Media Rights Capital are pairing on MacFarlane’s directorial debut, “Ted.” The R-rated comedy, which is hoped will shoot this year, focuses on the relationship between a man and his teddy bear (the latter character, who will be CG-generated, being voiced by MacFarlane himself), and the director will also write (alongside “Family Guy” alumni Alec Sulkin and Wellesely Wild) and produce. It also has a whopping $65 million dollar budget. Who give an R-Rated comedy a $65 million dollar budget? That’s kind of unheard of. Especially for a TV guy that has never directed a feature.
MacFarlane’s work divides people, to say the least, and this writer falls firmly on the side of belief that his shows are mostly made up of lazy, painfully unfunny comedy, and would rather swallow and then shit out power tools, than watch an episode of “Family Guy.” This isn’t to say that he may not blossom in feature length form (the upcoming Jodie Foster/Mel Gibson comedy “The Beaver” has a similar logline, and topped the 2008 Black List), but knowing his previous form, our guess is that it’ll be “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” but with Holocaust gags and the word “vagina” sprinkled liberally through the script.
"Fourteen-Year-Olds Of The World Rejoice; Seth MacFarlane Making Feature Debut With 'Ted'"
really?
hating on mcfarlane is like, so like, last year. ya know?
get over yourself, dude is very funny. much funnier than your high brow power tools gag.
gaggagagag
What Anonymous said.
No. The Playlist is right. MacFarlane isn't funny.
In five years time, fans of his will be embarrassed about having liked his output.
Much like Limp Biskit fans today.
the man is a success on many different levels and has made himself a fortune and NOT sold out for one second.
you however, cannot even spell the name of the band you think you are too smart to listen too.
On what levels is MacFarlane a success beyond producing mediocre animated TV shows for Fox?
God, Family Guy and all his shows are total trash. No wonder he became the laughing stock of the comedy world and the Simpson's writers would throw digs at him every other episode.
Barely an original bone in his body.
The Simpsons writers have nothing to crow about. That show hasn't been watchable for the last nine or ten seasons.
Family Guy is way past its prime. The show hasn't been funny for the last 3 or 4 seasons. Time to end it. The Cleveland Show really fails to do anything. Not funny enough to stay on for another season, imo.
Now, American Dad, on the other hand, is brilliant. Roger is perhaps the greatest creation from MacFarlane. So far, the show has been consistently funny.
Which is why I'm mixed on this new film he's working on. I pray and hope that the humor and writing is more American Dad (intelligent) than Family Guy (moronic).
I really like Family Guy. A cool TV series.
It's sad that this hack continues to get work. His comedy is absolutely awful and so is that abomination Family Guy.
seths awsome, as are ALL of his shows. if you dont like him keep it to yourself and let him do his thing, you sad group of boring buttholes