Has Apple TV+ said anything?
Negative. Aside from Sudeikis’ loaded “we’ll see you at some point” comment during the Emmys, details have been hard to come by.
Do we know why Sudeikis was unhappy with the scripts?
Double negative. The actor has previously made it clear that the third season would be the show’s last, so perhaps he is feeling the pressure to go out on a high note, especially after cleaning up at the Emmys and Globes.
Maybe he just needs to “Believe”. That’s a Ted Lasso joke.
I know.
Just checking. OK, so what else is going down?
The delays have had a flow-on effect because they’ve reportedly stopped cast members – who are now in demand as a result of the show’s success – from taking other jobs until Ted Lasso is wrapped.
That’s not a good vibe in the dressing room.
Not at all. Naturally, tension around money has intensified further following reports Sudeikis is earning more than $1 million per episode for this season. Meanwhile, the salary floor for other cast members is only $150,000 per episode.
Only $150,000? Should we start a GoFundMe?
I reckon.
Right, so we’ve got cast members being “underpaid” and production delays. That everything?
To make matters worse, the show planned to film several scenes at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea Football Club. But filming was benched when Chelsea’s owner, oligarch Roman Abramovich, was forced to sell the team after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ah yes, the little-known consequences of war in Ukraine: accidentally delaying everyone’s favourite TV comedy.
Indeed. The cast did, however, spend time shooting on location in Amsterdam, which, according to the report in Puck, was a last-minute decision by Sudeikis. Fans spotted the cast shooting in the city’s famous canals this April.
I mean, who among us hasn’t made a last-minute decision to spend some time in Amsterdam?
True, but apparently the Amsterdam sojourn added weeks to an already delayed production schedule. More importantly, it impacted the bottom line. According to Puck, “the season three budget has ballooned between 20 per cent to 30 per cent (and counting).”
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Who is footing the bill?
That’s where it gets interesting. Ted Lasso is produced and owned by Warner Bros but distributed and licensed by Apple TV+. Under this model, Apple covers the cost of production plus a set premium, and it controls global rights plus library rights for as many as 10 years. Each season the two companies agree on a set budget before filming.
But what happens when that budget is blown out of the water?
I suspect we’ll find out whenever season three is finished.
Just finally, the cast looked pretty chummy at the Emmys. Has anyone had a sneaky whinge?
Not exactly. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight back in February, Hannah Waddingham (who plays Rebecca Welton, the owner of AFC Richmond) said she doesn’t know what to expect from the new season. “They are just brilliant, brilliant brains, but they know better than to tell me anything at all,” she said of the creative team, which is led by Sudeikis.
Sounds like a diplomatic way of calling someone a control freak.
Your words, not mine. Don’t at me.
Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.
Has Apple TV+ said anything?
Negative. Aside from Sudeikis’ loaded “we’ll see you at some point” comment during the Emmys, details have been hard to come by.
Do we know why Sudeikis was unhappy with the scripts?
Double negative. The actor has previously made it clear that the third season would be the show’s last, so perhaps he is feeling the pressure to go out on a high note, especially after cleaning up at the Emmys and Globes.
Maybe he just needs to “Believe”. That’s a Ted Lasso joke.
I know.
Just checking. OK, so what else is going down?
The delays have had a flow-on effect because they’ve reportedly stopped cast members – who are now in demand as a result of the show’s success – from taking other jobs until Ted Lasso is wrapped.
That’s not a good vibe in the dressing room.
Not at all. Naturally, tension around money has intensified further following reports Sudeikis is earning more than $1 million per episode for this season. Meanwhile, the salary floor for other cast members is only $150,000 per episode.
Only $150,000? Should we start a GoFundMe?
I reckon.
Right, so we’ve got cast members being “underpaid” and production delays. That everything?
To make matters worse, the show planned to film several scenes at Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea Football Club. But filming was benched when Chelsea’s owner, oligarch Roman Abramovich, was forced to sell the team after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ah yes, the little-known consequences of war in Ukraine: accidentally delaying everyone’s favourite TV comedy.
Indeed. The cast did, however, spend time shooting on location in Amsterdam, which, according to the report in Puck, was a last-minute decision by Sudeikis. Fans spotted the cast shooting in the city’s famous canals this April.
I mean, who among us hasn’t made a last-minute decision to spend some time in Amsterdam?
True, but apparently the Amsterdam sojourn added weeks to an already delayed production schedule. More importantly, it impacted the bottom line. According to Puck, “the season three budget has ballooned between 20 per cent to 30 per cent (and counting).”
Loading
Who is footing the bill?
That’s where it gets interesting. Ted Lasso is produced and owned by Warner Bros but distributed and licensed by Apple TV+. Under this model, Apple covers the cost of production plus a set premium, and it controls global rights plus library rights for as many as 10 years. Each season the two companies agree on a set budget before filming.
But what happens when that budget is blown out of the water?
I suspect we’ll find out whenever season three is finished.
Just finally, the cast looked pretty chummy at the Emmys. Has anyone had a sneaky whinge?
Not exactly. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight back in February, Hannah Waddingham (who plays Rebecca Welton, the owner of AFC Richmond) said she doesn’t know what to expect from the new season. “They are just brilliant, brilliant brains, but they know better than to tell me anything at all,” she said of the creative team, which is led by Sudeikis.
Sounds like a diplomatic way of calling someone a control freak.
Your words, not mine. Don’t at me.
Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.