Mark Wahlberg, the Best Buddy a Guy Can Have in "Ted 2"‏

Mark Wahlberg (“Transformers: Age of Extinction”) returns as John Bennett, the best buddy any guy would want to have, in Universal Pictures' adult comedy, “Ted 2.” The film is the follow-up to 2012's “Ted,” the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time.

In the sequel, John's best friend, Ted - a living, talking, foul-mouthed teddy bear (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) – is fighting for equal rights in the eyes of the law when he wants to have children with his new bride.

When writer-director Seth MacFarlane and the producers came to Wahlberg with the idea for “Ted 2,” it didn’t take long for the actor to come aboard. “The first movie was the biggest original “R”-rated comedy of all time for a reason,” Wahlberg offers. “It encompassed this amazing humor but also has so much heart. In the first film, you’re rooting for John to become successful at maintaining his relationship with Ted, and the reason why I was excited about making `Ted 2' was because I knew I’d be working with Seth. This is the first time I’ve ever done a sequel to a movie, because I knew Seth would take it to another level. As long as there were places for the characters to go and things for them to do, then people would want to see it.”

"Ted 2" Brings to Life the Talking Teddy Bear Anew‏

Although Ted is, well, a stuffed teddy bear, the filmmakers of Universal Pictures' new adult comedy “Ted 2” must ensure that he reacts perfectly to everything—including how he looks over his shoulder or how he does a double take. Very much so, there’s a rhythm to his performance.

“What’s incredible is that when you make a comedy, you don’t want to burden the movie and slow down the process with technology,” explains producer Wellesley Wild. “So how do you create a simple way for the actors to know where Ted goes? He’s two-and-a-half feet tall, and you don’t want people walking through him by accident when you animate him. So we do a process that we call the ‘stuffy’ pass. The stuffy is basically a toy Ted, like the one you can buy at the store. We take the stuffy, and we have the visual effects supervisor mime Ted’s performance while Seth gives the dialogue from behind camera.”

Amanda Seyfried, a Trippy Young Attorney in "Ted 2"‏

Amanda Seyfried (“Les Miserables,” “Mamma Mia”) has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most captivating young leading actresses. In Universal Pictures’ new provocative comedy “Ted 2,” she’s cast opposite Mark Wahlberg as Samantha L. Jackson—say that twice—an eager young attorney who takes on Ted’s legal case pro bono.

The actress shares: “I did A Million Ways to Die in the West with Seth, and he’s a loyal guy. When he likes somebody he brings them back; his life is his work. I was prodding him about it over the course of six months after we finished filming, and one day he called me. As a joke, I asked, ‘What am I playing in Ted 2?’ He called me months later and asked, ‘What are you doing in June?’ and offered me the role of the new love interest.”

Seyfried describes her character: “Samantha is fresh out of law school and is trying to find her footing in this firm. Her uncle hired her to come in as a junior attorney, and she works very hard. She’s sincere but likes the occasional joint, okay daily, and she has her own offbeat way about her. When Ted and John first come to meet her in her office, she’s all over the place and they’re thinking, ‘How’s this scatterbrained stoner going to win our case and get Ted’s personhood back?’”

Producer Scott Stuber expands upon why the guys have their doubts: “The first time they meet Samantha, they’re not sure if she’s the right person. She’s a little young, and they don’t know if she can handle the case.” For John and Ted, however, the love of 420 trumps all. “But when she pulls out a bong and takes a rip, all of a sudden she’s the perfect lawyer. There’s a fun dynamic amongst the three of them, and she takes on Ted’s fight because she believes that he is someone who is worthy.”

Producer Alec Sulkin explains the rationale for John’s new love interest: “We knew that we didn’t have Mila Kunis for `Ted 2,’ and we wanted to serve that in the story and make it part of John’s emotional journey. John starts off in a very sad place because things didn’t turn out the way that he expected with the woman he married, which a lot of people can relate to. Then, once the legal part of the story begins, we’re introduced to Samantha and realize this could be another great love interest for him. She’s a cool chick, whereas Lori was always getting on John about smoking pot or this or that. Samantha is much more easygoing and more John’s speed. We hope that from the moment the audience meets her that they’ll be rooting for these two to get together.”

In “Ted 2,” although John (Wahlberg) is now a bachelor, Ted has settled down with Tami-Lynn, the trashy woman of his dreams. As marital problems begin to affect the newlyweds, Ted and Tami-Lynn decide to have a baby in order to save their marriage. Their hopes are crushed when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts declares Ted to be not a person, but property, and therefore ineligible to adopt. He is fired from his job at the grocery store and summarily informed that his marriage has been annulled.

Angry and dejected, Ted channels his frustration and asks his best pal to help him sue the state and win him the rights that he deserves. They enlist a young, medical-marijuana aficionada named Samantha L. Jackson (Seyfried) as their lawyer and head to court. But when Ted loses his case, the three must venture on a road trip to New York in a last-ditch effort to persuade legendary civil rights attorney Patrick Meighan (Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman) to take on their appeal. If they win, they will prove that Ted is not just a beer-swilling, pot-infused stuffed teddy bear, but actually a person who deserves the same freedoms as any other beer-swilling, pot-infused American.

Rated R-18 by the MTRCB, "Ted 2" opens across the Philippines on July 15, and is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

REEL DEAL: It's Time to Legalize "Ted" in Raunchy, Comedy Sequel‏

In 2012, one adorable, albeit incredibly foulmouthed, teddy bear took the world by storm. With his classic, furry good looks, unparalleled swagger and penchant for pot-fueled humor and sexually charged antics, an unlikely leading man catapulted Universal Pictures and Media Rights Capital’s small comedy “Ted” about a stoner dude and his best friend to its status as the highest-grossing original “R”-rated comedy of all time.

This July, Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and voice star of “Ted 2,” the follow-up to the blockbuster that launched the career of the world’s most outrageous bear. Joined once again by Mark Wahlberg as John Bennett, the thunder buddies for life are entering into uncharted territory.

REEL DEAL: Seth MacFarlane Returns to Direct, Voice for "Ted" in Sequel‏

After “Ted’s” phenomenal success at the worldwide box office and in-home entertainment in 2012, it was natural that conversations among the filmmakers and Universal Pictures would turn to a sequel.

For writer-director Seth MacFarlane, however, it was a not given that another chapter would automatically move forward. He explains: “I actually hadn’t planned on making a “Ted 2,” but any time something does well, that always comes up. There’s no reason to do it if you’re going to repeat the same movie. It’s not satisfying for the audience, and it’s really boring for us.”

Still, MacFarlane admits that he has a great deal of fondness for the characters and the genre lends itself to limitless ideas: “It’s a little easier with a comedy, because comedy is generally character-based, as opposed to premise-based, and in a way you treat it like a TV series. You have these characters that can be put in any situation, and we felt that Ted and John could sustain a totally different story. They were very strong in and of themselves, and so it was conceivable to do a sequel that would be worthwhile. So, it was fun to go in and figure out what we could do with these characters that would be completely different from what we did in the last movie.”

REEL DEAL: New "Ted 2" Posters Reflect Film's Adult Humor‏

Universal Pictures has released two poster artworks for its upcoming adult comedy “Ted 2” – one celebrates friendship; the other heralds the return of everyone's favorite teddy bear – or does it?

Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and voice star of “Ted 2,” Universal and Media Rights Capital’s follow-up to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time.

Joined once again by star Mark Wahlberg and fellow Ted writers Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild, MacFarlane produces the live action/CG-animated comedy alongside Bluegrass Films’ Scott Stuber, as well as John Jacobs and Jason Clark.

Opening across the Philippines on July 15, “Ted 2” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.