Season 4 of ‘Ted Lasso’ moves closer to reality — but still depends on Jason Sudeikis

There is happiness in the “Ted Lasso” fandom at the news that the runway is being paved for a fourth season.

But how much will Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso himself, be involved?

The series, co-created by the “Saturday Night Live” alum and Shawnee Mission West graduate, ended in May 2023 after three seasons. Sudeikis starred as an American football coach hired to lead an English soccer team.

Entertainment website Deadline was first to report that Warner Bros. Television has secured options on three original cast members of the hit Apple TV+ series, meaning the studio has the option to hire them back.

They are Hannah Waddingham (AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton), Brett Goldstein (player/coach Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (football operations director Leslie Higgins). All belong to the British actors union Equity.

Several entertainment outlets, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, report the studio will now reach out to members of SAG-AFTRA whose options have also expired — including Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt (coach Beard) — to negotiate new deals.

“It is unclear which other stars may be approached about Season 4; the cast have all said repeatedly that they would be happy to reprise their roles if an opportunity arises,” Deadline reported. “Many would likely pop in for guest appearances.”

On Monday Hollywood journalist Matthew Belloni reported that “this is indeed the go time. They are going to do a fourth season of the show. Jason Sudeikis has blessed it.

“They are going to open a writer’s room. They are going to slowly pick up options on other stars of the show.”

But the founder of Puck media company hinted that Sudeikis’ involvement with a new season might be limited.

“My prediction here is that this is going to be a very different Ted Lasso, and I don’t believe Sudeikis is going to be on it very much,” Belloni said on his podcast, “The Town.”

“Sources have indicated to me that this was a reluctant green light that he has given. He had a vision for the show. It was three seasons. They executed that vision. ... He is in a place where the story has wrapped up and to bring him back into the fold would take a little bit of a leap that I don’t think he wants to take.”

Jamie Tartt not returning?

Belloni and Deadline also reported that Phil Dunster, who plays footballer Jamie Tartt, a fan favorite, has not been picked up for a new season, possibly because of scheduling conflicts. Dunster currently stars in two other series — Prime Video’s “The Devil’s Hour” and Apple’s “Surface.”

Depending on the budget and being able to hire back actors who have moved on to other projects, production could begin in early 2025, Deadline reported.

“Ted Lasso” won 13 Emmys — including back-to-back awards for best comedy series and acting wins for Sudeikis, Waddingham and Goldstein — and became Apple’s most-watched original series.

The series ended with Lasso returning to the United States and leaving the team with its new manager, Roy Kent. But it left fans wanting more. (For instance: Would Keeley’s idea for a women’s team ever pan out?)

Sudeikis had always said the plan called for three seasons, though he left the door open for possible spin-offs.

“It’s called the iMoney truck,” Sudeikis told Entertainment Weekly in June 2021. “I mean, I don’t know.

“The story that I know is the one that I wanted to tell, and so that’s the one we’re telling with the help of numerous people in front of and behind the camera, so it’s by no means me typing every key stroke and saying every word. It’s nowhere near like that.

“But the story that’s being told — that three-season arc — is one that I see, know and understood. I’m glad that they are willing to pay for those three seasons. As far as what happens after that, who knows? I don’t know.”

But earlier this month co-creator Bill Lawrence told entertainment news site Collider the show’s future depends on Sudeikis.

“Groupthink sometimes happens, even without talking to each other, and every actor, actress, writer, producer on that show — and (we didn’t get) together and decide this was the message — we all loved the experience,” Lawrence said.

“As fans, we’d all kill if it was going again, but everybody would say the same thing, which is: whatever Jason feels like doing and whatever his decision is, we’re all down with it.”