Seth MacFarlane’s ‘Ted’ Trailer Offers a Laugh and a Glimpse of What ‘Brian: The Movie’ Might Look Like
Summertime at the cinema is most commonly associated with big budget action and adventure movies, and this summer is no exception. But amidst the bombastic blockbusters there are also a few big name comedies to look forward to including Dark Shadows, That’s My Boy and Neighborhood Watch. One of the most anticipated though just might be Seth MacFarlane’s feature directorial debut, Ted.
The movie stars Mark Wahlberg as John, a man whose best friend is a walking and talking teddy bear named Ted. The furry beast originally came to life during tough times in John’s childhood, and now the pair are roommates. Others can see and hear Ted too, and when John starts to get serious with a cute girl (Mila Kunis) his relationship with the bear begins to complicate the romance.
Check out the red-band trailer below.
First thoughts? Maybe a mix between Family Guy and Drop Dead Fred? It’s hard to tell from the trailer if the idea is enough to warrant a feature film or if it should have found life as a short. The only bit that actually earns a laugh, albeit a big laugh, is the trailer trash name guessing gag. The trick will be making Ted a fully fleshed out character instead of simply a walking & talking gag machine… which if you’ve watched Family Guy, American Dad or The Cleveland Show you know that gags are pretty much MacFarlane’s bread and butter. It’s a scatter-shot approach to comedy that misses as often as it hits.
MacFarlane voices Ted in addition to directing and co-writing, and it sounds like he’s sticking fairly close to the one he uses to bring Brian the dog to life on Family Guy. That’s not a bad thing as Brian is the show’s best character (along with Stewie), but sticking so close to the familiar may be a risky move.
Find out if MacFarlane succeeds when Ted opens nationwide on July 13th.
