Ted Lasso Spinoff Story Rumors Clarified By Jason Sudeikis & Apple TV Exec

Amid Ted Lasso‘s return to Apple TV, Jason Sudeikis just clarified a major rumor about a possible spinoff.

When Ted Lasso originally ended after three seasons, the co-creator admitted the story he wanted to tell from the beginning had been told but left the door open to a continuation. Now, with the series back for season 4, Sudeikis’ titular character is back in the world of professional soccer after accepting an offer to coach a women’s team.

A few years ago, there was a rumor that the women’s team storyline was originally pitched as a Ted Lasso spinoff, which was teased at the end of season 3. In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley, though, Sudeikis clarified that that rumor was never actually true.

The montage during the Ted Lasso season 3 finale was meant to be open-ended and let viewers and creatives come up with their own “fiction, whether for others to consume or just each other,” according to Sudeikis. “Here are a bunch of launching off points for you.”

A spinoff with the women’s team was never seriously considered, but when he and his fellow producers on Ted Lasso decided they wanted to come back for season 4, “it was a no-brainer that it was going to be the women’s team.” They did briefly consider having the show in the United States this time around, but “it just felt right once we figured out the reason why Ted would go back.”

Jason Sudeikis: “Oh gosh. Well, that was never true. The whole end montage was with the spirit and the idea definitely being that the show was over, but to leave some things open-ended and let people, fans of the show or even the more creative lot that like to do their own sort of fiction, whether for others to consume or just each other. Here are a bunch of launching off points for you. [A spinoff] was never the case, but eventually, at some point when the desire to come back was a clearer path for us, it was a no-brainer that it was going to be the women’s team. We had a few dalliances of, ‘Oh, would it be maybe over here in the States?’ But it just felt right once we figured out the reason why Ted would go back, because that happens all the time. You leave places, you go back to places, see what happens and who’s changed and what’s changed.”

Eddy Cue, the senior vice president of Services at Apple, told ScreenRant that once Ted Lasso had reached season 3, it “felt like we had reached the top. There was nothing more to the story. We wanted it to end.” That mindset completely changed, though, when Sudeikis came up with the idea of focusing on the women’s team.

The executive said that it’s a “completely different angle” to the story that Ted Lasso had been telling up to this point, but it will still “bring all the heart, the love, the laughter, all the things that you loved about it.“

Eddy Cue: “Look, we were done. Jason was done. One of the things that I love about working with the best people is we felt like we had reached the top. There was nothing more to the story. We wanted it to end. And Jason and the team came up with this whole brand-new story on their own that we loved. There was a completely different angle to it, but it’s going to bring all the heart. The love, the laughter, all the things that you loved about it. We got to believe again.”

Ted Lasso season 3 ended with several major developments. AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton was thinking about selling the team. While she ultimately chose not to walk away completely from Richmond, she did sell a minority stake to the fans. Later, Keeley Jones came to her with an idea to create a women’s division of AFC Richmond, teeing up what’s currently unfolding in season 4.

Ted also made his way back home to the United States, but during the recent Ted Lasso season 4 premiere, he was allowed to return to England, but this time as coach of the women’s team. He had no plans to return as a professional soccer coach outside of coaching his son’s team, but he thought it over and discussed the offer with his family. Both Henry and his mother were on board with the idea.

In the coming weeks, the rest of the season is expected to show Ted back in the world of soccer as he coaches a new team. Sudeikis’ co-stars are Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Juno Temple. Joining them as new cast members for Ted Lasso season 4 are Grant Feely, Tanya Reynolds, Abbie Hern, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, Aisling Sharkey and Rex Hayes.

Ted Lasso season 4 streams new episodes every Wednesday on Apple TV.