Washington: In case you are missing the marmalade-loving bear, here is a piece of good news for fans, a third ‘Paddington’ movie is officially in the works.
As per Variety, ‘Paddington 3’, a new entry in the much-loved movie series, is in active development. Representatives from Studiocanal told the publication, “We can confirm Studiocanal is working very hard on film 3 with the utmost craft and care — as with film 1 and 2.”
There are no details to share yet about the upcoming movie, the reps said, but in previous reports, Studiocanal said it will again be teaming up with David Heyman’s Heyday Films.
In the past, ‘Paddington’ writer-director Paul King said he will not direct the third film, but will still be involved. King is currently directing Warner Bros.’ ‘Wonka’, a Willy Wonka origins story, slated to release in March 2023.
Last week, in an interview on BBC Radio 2’s ‘The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show’, ‘Paddington’ star Hugh Bonneville said there was “forward momentum” on the project, and that it was “somewhere on the horizon.”
The previous two ‘Paddington’ films, mixtures of live-action and CGI, were global box office successes, grossing more than USD 280 million and USD 225 million worldwide, respectively.
The ‘Paddington’ movies have been praised for their heartwarming messages about community, witty humour, and brilliant casting.
In the first film, actor Nicole Kidman was the villainous taxidermist, Millicent Clyde; in the second, Hugh Grant played Phoenix Buchanan, an egotistical actor, and thief.
Ben Whishaw is the voice of Paddington in the films and has reprised the role on the television show ‘The Adventures of Paddington’, also produced by Studiocanal. The premiere of the show’s season two, which airs on Nickelodeon in the U.S., is on Friday. It will premiere in other territories around the world in April.