Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind the massively successful football comedy series Ted Lasso, have reportedly picked up the options for some of the show’s major characters, opening the door to a potential season four.
Hannah Waddingham (who plays AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (who plays Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (who plays Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins) are all under UK acting union Equity, and are the cast members whose options have been acquired by WB so far.
WB are now expected to reach out to those under American union SAG-AFTRA, as many of the series’ key figures’ contracts have expired and so new deals will need to be signed. It’s unclear who will and won’t be returning overall, but key figures such as Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) and Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard) are rumoured to be making a return, and some former cast who have committed to other projects have previously commented on their desire to make guest appearances if the show was picked up for a fourth season.
Whilst officially unconfirmed, it’s also reported that preparations to open a writers’ room are well underway, with production hoped to begin on the fourth season in early 2025. The implication here is that, even if not formally (yet), Sudeikis is on board with the fourth season behind the scenes already, as Ted Lasso is ultimately his creation.
The end of season three of Ted Lasso saw characters look to partner toward a new venture, starting a women’s team at AFC Richmond, alongside many happy ‘endings’ for characters such as the titular Ted Lasso. It’s unclear what direction the show will take if and when it returns, but it’s clear that Sudeikis and co. wouldn’t have signed back on without good reason, so fans should start getting excited (thanks, Deadline).