100+ Movies like Ted
Ted 2
Ted 2 is a direct sequel to Ted, continuing the story of the living teddy bear Ted and his human friend John. The core premise of Ted's struggle to be recognized as a person and maintain his rights is a central plot point in both films. Ted 2 mirrors the first film by having Ted face legal challenges to his personhood, just as he initially faced disbelief over being a living toy in Ted. John remains Ted's closest friend and ally, supporting him through his struggles. The films share similar themes of friendship, growing up, and the desire for family/belonging. Ted 2 also features returning characters like Donny as the antagonist and Sam Jones in a cameo role. Both movies blend raunchy humor with heartfelt moments as Ted navigates his unique circumstances. The sequel maintains the overall tone and structure of following Ted's misadventures while exploring deeper issues of identity and acceptance.
Benny Loves You
Both "Ted" and "Benny Loves You" center around a grown man's attachment to a childhood stuffed toy that magically comes to life. The toys, Ted and Benny, become the man's closest companions, straining their relationships with romantic partners who see the toys as obstacles to moving forward. However, while Ted is portrayed as a raunchy but well-meaning friend, Benny is a murderous, psychopathic entity that kills anyone who threatens the man's bond with him. The movies parallel each other in exploring the themes of arrested development, the struggle to let go of childish attachments, and the conflict between maintaining old comforts and embracing maturity. Both climax with the man being forced to confront the unhealthy nature of his attachment to the toy and make a choice between it and his romantic relationship.
Long Story Short
Both "Ted" and "Long Story Short" explore the theme of a man struggling to balance his responsibilities and relationships with an unconventional, long-standing companion. In "Ted", John's friendship with his living teddy bear Ted strains his relationship with Lori, while in "Long Story Short", Teddy's mysterious time-skipping predicament forces him to confront the consequences of neglecting his wife Leanne and their family. Both films involve the protagonist being given a magical gift that ultimately tests their commitment to their romantic partner. The protagonists must learn to let go of their immature attachments and prioritize their significant others to move forward in life. The films share a comedic tone while exploring themes of growing up, responsibility, and the challenges of maintaining relationships.
Hearts in Atlantis
Both "Ted" and "Hearts in Atlantis" feature a young boy who forms a close bond with an older male figure who has supernatural abilities. In "Ted", the boy's wish brings his teddy bear to life, while in "Hearts in Atlantis", the boy befriends a man with psychic powers. The older figures serve as mentors and father figures to the boys, helping them navigate their childhood struggles. However, their presence also disrupts the boys' family lives and leads to conflicts with their mothers. Ultimately, the boys are forced to part ways with their supernatural companions, but the profound impact of their relationships remains. The movies explore themes of childhood innocence, the power of imagination, and the importance of father figures.
November Christmas
Both "Ted" and "November Christmas" explore the theme of cherishing childhood innocence and imagination in the face of growing up and life's harsh realities. In "Ted", John's wish for his teddy bear to come alive represents his desire to hold onto his childhood, while in "November Christmas", the town comes together to create an early Christmas for a terminally ill child, Vanessa, allowing her to experience the magic of the holidays before she passes away. The movies parallel each other in their depiction of the power of friendship, community, and the importance of making the most of the time we have with loved ones. Just as Ted helps John navigate his relationship struggles, the farmer Jess and the waitress Tammy rally the town to create special moments for Vanessa and her family. Both films ultimately celebrate the enduring bonds of love and the ability to find joy and wonder even in difficult circumstances.
Grown Ups 2
Both "Ted" and "Grown Ups 2" revolve around grown men who refuse to let go of their childhood attachments - Ted the living teddy bear in the former, and the group of friends reliving their youth in the latter. The movies explore the tension between maintaining these childlike bonds and the responsibilities of adulthood, such as committed relationships and raising families. Central characters struggle to balance their immature tendencies with the expectations of their partners, leading to conflicts and personal growth. Fantastical elements like a talking stuffed animal and over-the-top comedic situations drive the narratives forward. Ultimately, the protagonists find ways to preserve their cherished connections while embracing maturity.
Sun Dogs
Both "Ted" and "Sun Dogs" center around a man-child protagonist with an unusual companion or obsession that prevents him from maturing and moving forward in life. In "Ted", John's attachment to his living teddy bear Ted strains his relationship with Lori, just as Ned's delusion about being a secret agent in "Sun Dogs" alienates him from those around him, including his girlfriend Tally. Both movies explore themes of arrested development, the struggle to let go of childish fixations, and the tension between maintaining close friendships and pursuing romantic relationships. The protagonists must ultimately confront their immaturity and make difficult choices to grow up and repair their relationships. Additionally, both films incorporate elements of fantasy and imagination blurring with reality.
Grown Ups
Both "Ted" and "Grown Ups" revolve around a group of adult male friends who struggle to let go of their immature, hedonistic lifestyles and embrace maturity and responsibility. In "Ted", John's relationship with his girlfriend Lori is strained by his unwillingness to move on from his childhood teddy bear friend Ted. Similarly in "Grown Ups", the friends reunite after their youth basketball coach's death and revert to their adolescent antics, much to the frustration of their wives and families who want them to act their age. The movies explore themes of arrested development, the challenges of maintaining friendships and relationships as adults, and the need to eventually grow up and prioritize family over youthful indulgences. Both films feature crude humor and raunchy situations stemming from the protagonists' refusal to fully embrace adulthood.
Just Before I Go
Both "Ted" and "Just Before I Go" explore themes of friendship, personal growth, and finding purpose in life through the lens of an unconventional protagonist. In "Ted", the protagonist John struggles to move forward in his relationship due to his attachment to his childhood teddy bear friend Ted, who magically came to life. Similarly, in "Just Before I Go", the protagonist Ted Morgan spirals into depression after his wife leaves him and decides to commit suicide, but first seeks to tie up loose ends from his past. Both movies feature a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation with past traumas, as the protagonists confront childhood bullies, teachers, and other figures from their past. Ultimately, both Ted and John find renewed purpose and meaning in their lives through their relationships and personal growth. The movies parallel each other in their exploration of the human condition and the importance of cherishing life and loved ones.
Take Me Home Tonight
Both "Ted" and "Take Me Home Tonight" follow the story of a man in his 30s struggling to move on from his adolescent lifestyle and embrace adulthood. The central characters, John in "Ted" and Matt in "Take Me Home Tonight", are immature and irresponsible, clinging to their childhood friendships and interests at the expense of their romantic relationships and careers. Their love interests, Lori and Tori respectively, serve as catalysts for them to finally grow up and take responsibility for their lives. The movies parallel each other in their depiction of the protagonists' arrested development, with John's attachment to his living teddy bear Ted mirroring Matt's refusal to let go of his high school glory days. Both films feature wild, hedonistic parties that represent the characters' immaturity and avoidance of adult responsibilities. Ultimately, the protagonists must confront their issues, reconcile with their love interests, and make a choice between their childish ways and embracing maturity.
Nerdland
Both "Ted" and "Nerdland" center around male protagonists who are immature and struggle to let go of their childish ways, which strains their relationships with significant others. The movies follow the protagonists' misadventures and antics as they pursue fame and recognition, often through outrageous and irresponsible means. Their quests for fame and validation ultimately lead them to realize the importance of their friendships and relationships. The movies blend raunchy humor with heartfelt themes about growing up and accepting responsibility. Both feature anthropomorphic characters - Ted the teddy bear in "Ted" and the Nerd King in "Nerdland" - who aid the protagonists in their pursuits. The stories culminate in the protagonists reconciling with their loved ones and finding a balance between their ambitions and personal lives.
10,000 Saints
Both "Ted" and "10,000 Saints" explore the themes of friendship, growing up, and the challenges of maintaining relationships in the face of changing circumstances. The central characters in both films are young men who struggle to let go of their adolescent ways and embrace adulthood, with a close friend or companion serving as a link to their carefree past. In "Ted", John's attachment to his living teddy bear Ted prevents him from fully committing to his girlfriend Lori, mirroring how Jude in "10,000 Saints" is torn between his desire for Eliza and his loyalty to his deceased friend Teddy. Both films depict the protagonists going through a transformative journey where they must confront their immaturity and make difficult choices to move forward in life, ultimately finding a balance between cherishing their bonds and accepting new responsibilities.
That's My Boy
Both "Ted" and "That's My Boy" feature a central relationship between an adult man and an unconventional companion from his childhood - a living teddy bear in "Ted" and the man's biological son from a statutory rape in "That's My Boy". This unusual bond strains the man's romantic relationship, as his girlfriend/fiancée wants him to move on and prioritize their future together. However, the man struggles to let go of his childhood companion. There are also parallels in the raunchy, hedonistic lifestyles of the central characters. Both movies involve a major conflict where the childhood companion is separated from the man, leading to a climactic effort to reunite them. Ultimately, the movies resolve with the man finding a balance between his romantic partner and his unconventional companion from the past.
17 Again
Both "Ted" and "17 Again" explore the theme of a grown man struggling to let go of his immature, youthful ways and embrace adulthood and responsibility. In "Ted", John's attachment to his childhood teddy bear Ted prevents him from fully committing to his relationship with Lori. Similarly, in "17 Again", Mike's refusal to move on from his high school glory days strains his marriage to Scarlet and alienates him from his children. The movies parallel each other in their depiction of the protagonists' journeys to finally mature and prioritize their adult relationships and responsibilities over their childish indulgences. This maturation process involves confronting the consequences of their immaturity, reconciling with loved ones, and ultimately making the difficult choice to leave behind their youthful fixations (Ted and Mike's teenage self, respectively) to embrace a more fulfilling adulthood.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Both "Ted" and "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" revolve around a magical toy that comes to life through a wish or invention. The toy becomes a close companion to the main character, but eventually causes strain in their personal relationships. After a falling out, the main character must reconcile with the toy and repair their bond. In the end, the toy's magic is restored, allowing the main character to move forward in their life while maintaining their friendship with the toy. The movies explore themes of childhood wonder, the importance of family and relationships, and the power of imagination and creativity.
13 Going on 30
Both "Ted" and "13 Going on 30" involve a magical transformation that transports the main character into a different stage of life. In "Ted", a young boy's wish brings his teddy bear to life, and the story follows their friendship into adulthood. Similarly, in "13 Going on 30", a teenage girl's wish to be older is granted, and she wakes up as an adult in the future. The movies explore the challenges of navigating relationships, careers, and personal growth in these altered realities. Ultimately, the protagonists gain new perspectives and learn valuable lessons about appreciating their true selves and the importance of genuine friendships. The films use fantasy elements to deliver heartwarming stories about self-discovery and the enduring power of childhood bonds.
Pooka!
Both "Ted" and "Pooka!" center around an inanimate stuffed toy that comes to life and forms a close bond with the main character, disrupting their normal life. In "Ted", the teddy bear Ted becomes a lifelong friend to John, while in "Pooka!" the Pooka costume takes on a sentient form and haunts Wilson. The toys' presence strains the protagonists' romantic relationships, as Lori wants John to move on from Ted, and Wilson's girlfriend Melanie is disturbed by his Pooka persona. The movies explore themes of arrested development, as John and Wilson struggle to let go of their childhood attachments. Both films also involve surreal, hallucinatory sequences where the line between reality and fantasy blurs due to the toys' influence. Ultimately, the protagonists must confront their pasts and the consequences of their attachments to the toys to move forward in their lives.
Ricky Stanicky
Both "Ted" and "Ricky Stanicky" revolve around an imaginary friend or persona created in childhood that persists into adulthood, causing complications in the main characters' relationships and lives. In "Ted", John's teddy bear Ted comes to life and remains his companion into adulthood, straining John's relationship with Lori. Similarly in "Ricky Stanicky", Dean, Wes, and JT invent the persona of Ricky Stanicky as an excuse for misbehavior, which they continue using as adults, impacting Dean and JT's relationships with their partners. Both movies explore themes of arrested development, the struggle to let go of childhood fantasies, and the need to mature and prioritize adult responsibilities over childish pursuits. The central conflict arises from the imaginary friend/persona disrupting the main characters' ability to move forward in their lives and relationships. Ultimately, both movies resolve with the characters finding a balance between their imaginary companions and embracing adulthood.
You Wish!
Both "Ted" and "You Wish!" revolve around a magical wish that brings an inanimate object to life as a companion. In "Ted", a young boy's wish makes his teddy bear come alive, while in "You Wish!", a coin allows a boy to wish away his annoying younger brother, only to regret it later. The central conflict in both movies stems from the protagonist's struggle to balance their relationship with the magical companion and their romantic partner/potential partner. Ultimately, both movies explore themes of friendship, growing up, and learning to appreciate what you have. The protagonists go through character arcs where they initially take the magical companion for granted, leading to a falling out, before realizing their true value and reconciling with them by the end.
Toy Story 3
Both "Ted" and "Toy Story 3" explore the theme of a child's beloved toy coming to life and the challenges of maintaining that bond into adulthood. In "Ted", John's wish for his teddy bear to become real is granted, while in "Toy Story 3", Andy's toys are sentient beings. As the protagonists grow older, their relationships with their childhood companions are strained - John's girlfriend Lori wants him to move on from Ted, just as Andy must leave his toys behind for college. The toys face abandonment and near-destruction, mirroring Ted's kidnapping and "death". Ultimately, both stories resolve with the protagonists finding a way to preserve their cherished connections while moving forward in life. The films parallel each other in depicting the enduring power of childhood imagination and the difficulty of letting go of beloved toys.