Mark Wahlberg Stars In A Raunchy Comedy Climbing The Streaming Charts
Mark Wahlberg's hit 2012 comedy Ted is currently #4 on Netflix streaming charts.
Known for his toned physique and strict exercise regimen, Mark Wahlberg is an immediate go-to for Hollywood execs looking to cast their next muscleman drama. Even with assault allegations coming back out of the woodwork, the actor is still one of the most sought-out and familiar faces in the biz, but it was with his 2012 feature Ted that he solidified his name as a comedic actor – even if it was for all the wrong reasons. A part that would lead him to other similar pursuits like 2018’s Instant Family, and even land a sequel, Ted pushed the dramatic actor over the line into comedy. Now, according to FlixPatrol, the film is climbing the Netflix charts where it’s holding tightly to the #4 spot.
The feature-length debut of Family Guy and The Orville creator and star, Seth MacFarlane, Ted took the idea of a child’s best friend – a teddy bear – and gave it a raunchy and adult twist. In the film, Mark Wahlberg stars as Bostonian John Bennett who, as a child, wishes that his stuffed companion would come to life. While his wish is granted, it quickly becomes a be careful what you wish for situation as, when he approaches adulthood, his relationship with the bear comes in between his budding romance with Mila Kunis’ Lori Collins.
Along with Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, the film also stars Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi, with cameo performances by Ryan Reynolds and Ted Danson. Known for his voiceover work in Family Guy, American Dad, and similar projects, Seth MacFarlane doubled down on his directorial duties and lent his talents to play the role of Ted. MacFarlane also penned the script alongside Alec Sulkin (Family Guy, The Cleveland Show) and Wellesley Wild (Family Guy, Animaniacs).
Seth MacFarlane’s fandom came out in droves to see the story of the crass pot-smoking teddy bear come to life, quickly running up the global box office numbers to a whopping $549.4 million against its $50-65 million budget. That year, the Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis-led feature would nab the bragging rights of calling itself the highest-grossing comedy and even go so far as to claim the title of the second highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time – just behind The Hangover Part II. MacFarlane’s genius on the storyline and creation of Ted spilled over into the film’s soundtrack, where he and Walter Murphy teamed up to pen the original song, “Everybody Needs a Best Friend,” which would land the duo an Academy Award nod for Best Song.
There’s just something about sassy, swearing, and downright rude talking anthropomorphic animals that makes audiences gleeful, something the creators of Ted immediately came to realize. Following the massive success of the first film, a sequel was almost immediately green lit which would see Seth MacFarlane and Mark Wahlberg reprise their roles as best buds. This time around, the cast grew with even more recognizable names as Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Freeman, Jessica Barth, and John Slattery also joined the cast.
Like its predecessor, the 2015 sequel managed to land mega box office numbers despite being more widely panned than the original. In the end, it deposited a whopping $215.9 million into the bank against its $68 million budget. While fans loved seeing Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane back together again, the film didn’t hit as hard with followers, but that hasn’t stopped it from receiving a prequel television series.
While Seth MacFarlane is attached to the project as creator and, of course, the voice of Ted, the series won’t see Mark Wahlberg reprise his role as the story will take audiences back to the year it all began – 1993. It’s there that we’ll meet a young John Bennett and the rest of his family and learn the origin story of the titular bear. Filming for the eight-episode series wrapped back in November, so it’s anyone’s guess as to when they’ll announce a premiere date.
As for Mark Wahlberg, he’s still busy taking swing after swing in the entertainment industry. The funky performer recently appeared in titles including Father Stu, Uncharted, and Me Time and will soon be seen in features such as Arthur the King, Our Man from Jersey, and The Family Plan, along with the leading role in a biopic about wellness guru Jack Lalanne.
