WBTV’s Channing Dungey On ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Progress, ‘Bad Monkey’ & J.J. Abrams Deal Renewals, More ‘Big Bang’ Spinoff Cast Returns

Nellie Andreeva and Rosy Cordero
·2-min read

While attending Warner Bros Television Group’s Fall TV Season Celebration on Thursday night, Channing Dungey, Chairman and CEO of the Warner Bros. Television Group, answered a few questions from Deadline about some of the studio’s buzziest series including Apple TV’s Ted Lasso and Bad Monkey, The Big Bang Theory spinoff in the works at Max and more.

As Deadline reported exclusively in August, in a major step toward the long-awaited fourth season of Jason Sudeikis’ beloved comedy Ted Lasso, Warner Bros Television picked up the options of original cast members Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift.

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According to sources, no additional actors have been locked in yet to return, but Dungey hinted that the studio and producers may be looking at potential filming dates.

“We are just in early production conversations, but it’s exciting,” she said.

Something that is in far more advanced stages is the new film and television deal at Warner Bros for J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot. Deadline reported in August that Abrams was in advanced negotiations with the studio to re-up his pact, which would extend his tenure at Warner Bros TV to two decades.

Asked whether the deal has closed, Channing said, “like 95%.”

She also indicated that a Season 2 renewal of Bad Monkey may be coming.

“We are hopeful and anticipating some good news from Apple soon, but nothing official yet,” Dungey said.

In a finale postmortem interview with Deadline, Bad Monkey creator Bill Lawrence also was optimistic and said that a second season would be based on author Carl Hiaasen’s sequel to Bad Monkey, Razor Girl.

Dungey also commented on the WBTV news of the day, that the studio had made talent holding deals with The Big Bang Theory alums Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn and Lauren Lapkus to star in the previously announced spinoff for Max from co-creator/executive producer Chuck Lorre.

She confirmed that a script for the project is currently being written but that she and her team have not seen it yet, adding there will be “nothing more until we get a script.”

The casting news was met with enthusiasm by Big Bang fans but also with some concern that the new show may not feature other OGs popping by.

While cryptic in her reaction, Dungey gave them hope. “Don’t jump to conclusions. okay? Don’t jump to conclusions is all I’ll say.”

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