While it seemed like a foregone conclusion after the success the two had on “Ted,” Universal Pictures has officially come on to co-finance and distribute Seth MacFarlane’s “A Million Ways To Die in the West.”

Universal will co-finance with MRC and has set a May 30, 2014 release date.

MacFarlane will star and direct the film, which also stars Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried and Liam Neeson. “Ted” producers Scott Stuber and Jason Clark return to produce as do “Ted” scribes Wellesley Wild and Alec Sulkin, who co-wrote the script with MacFarlane.

Story follows a cowardly sheep farmer who backs out of a gunfight and loses his his fickle girlfriend in the process, who leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.

Given the success of “Ted,” which grossed $548 million worldwide, it seemed like only a matter of time before Universal attached themselves to the project.