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Paddington in Peru

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Paddington in Peru
UK theatrical release poster
Directed byDougal Wilson
Screenplay by
Story by
Based onPaddington Bear
by Michael Bond
Produced by
  • Rosie Alison
Starring
CinematographyErik Wilson
Edited byÚna Ní Dhonghaíle
Music byDario Marianelli
Production
companies
Distributed byStudioCanal
Release date
  • 8 November 2024 (2024-11-08) (United Kingdom)
Running time
106 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • France
LanguageEnglish

Paddington in Peru is a 2024 live-action/animated adventure comedy film directed by Dougal Wilson, written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamout, from a story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Burton. Based on the stories of Paddington Bear, created by Michael Bond, it is the third installment in the Paddington film series, and a sequel to Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017). The film stars Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington, with Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas and Carla Tous in supporting roles.

The film entered development in February 2021, and the title Paddington in Peru was announced in June 2022. It is the feature film debut of Wilson. Principal photography took place between July and October 2023, having taken place in the United Kingdom, Colombia and Peru. This is the first Paddington movie not to be produced by David Heyman's Heyday Films and also the first with Sony Pictures (under their labels Columbia Pictures and Stage 6 Films) involved

Paddington in Peru was released in cinemas in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2024, by StudioCanal UK. The film received positive reviews from critics, although many considered it to be weaker than its predecessors.

Plot

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The film begins with a flashback to a young Paddington picking an orange from a tree and accidentily falling off a cliff into a river, only to be saved by Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton). She tells him that if he ever gets lost again, he should roar and she will roar back.

Back in present day London, Paddington is taking his passport photograph at a photo booth in Paddington Station. He receives his passport in the post and an umbrella as a gift from his neighbors, symbolizing his official status as a British citizen. Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer) is feeling melancholic as her children, Judy Brown (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan Brown (Samuel Joslin), are growing up, with Judy about to leave for university. Paddington receives a letter from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) form the home for retired bears in Peru, informing him that Aunt Lucy deeply misses him and is acting strangely, suggesting he visit Peru to cheer her up. The Browns decide to go to Peru, with Mrs. Brown thinking it's a great idea to bring the family closer together and Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) thinking the same as he is being encouraged to take more risks by his new boss (Hayley Atwell).

Upon arriving in Peru, the Browns learn from the Reverend Mother that Aunt Lucy has gone missing in the jungle, leaving behind only her glasses and her bracelet. Paddington finds a map in Aunt Lucy's cabin indicating they should start their search at a place called Rumi Rock. The Reverend Mother encourages the family to enter the jungle to search for Aunt Lucy, starting at Rumi Rock, and gives Mrs. Brown a pendant for good luck.

The Browns look to hire a boat to travel up the river, meeting treasure hunters Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina Cabot (Carla Tous), who are searching for El Dorado, a mythical place that is said to contain the gold offered by ancient peruvians to the jungle spirits. Hunter notices Paddington's bracelet, which he believes could be the key to finding El Dorado, and agrees to take the family to Rumi Rock. It is revealed that Hunter is from a cursed family and is driven by the ghosts of his ancestors to find gold at any cost. Hunter and Gina argue about continuing the journey, with Gina wanting him to turn back. Hunter throws Gina off the boat, but then falls overboard himself.

With no captain, the boat crashes and sinks and the Browns get lost in the jungle, unable to contact Mrs. Bird. After losing his Umbrella, Paddington gets separated from the family and stumbles upon Rumi Rock, where Hunter is waiting for him. He explains that the bracelet and Rumi Rock are both important to finding El Dorado. Paddington accidently sits on a spikey fruit and roars, but recalls Aunt Lucy's advice from when he was young, hearing echoes that he believes are Aunt Lucy roaring back. Hunter and Paddington follow the roars, Paddington to find aunt lucy and Hunter believing they are leading them to the entrance to El Dorado. Meanwhile the Browns find Gina, who explains her family's curse, and they set out to find Paddington and save him from Hunter.

Back at the home for retired bears, Mrs. Bird grows suspicious of the Reverend Mother and discovers a secret room where she reveals that the pendant she gave to Mary is actually a tracker. Now knowing their location, Mrs. Bird and the Reverend Mother fly in with a plane to rescue the Browns.

Paddington and Hunter reach the source of the roars, but it is revealed that they were just echoes of Paddington's roars. Frustrated, Hunter attacks and chases Paddington, but the Browns arrive just in time to save him. The Reverend Mother reveals herself as Cousin Clarissa Cabot, a relative of Hunter's also cursed with the family's gold obsession and is the reason behind Aunt Lucy's disappearance. She holds the Browns and Gina at gunpoint, but Paddington and Gina convince Hunter to save them and renounce his curse. Hunter uses the plane to knock out Clarissa and save his daughter. 'Jungle spirits' appear and guide the Browns to enter El Dorado using Paddington's bracelet, revealing that the treasure inside is actually thousands of orange trees. They find Aunt Lucy, who explains that El Dorado is an orangery where Paddington was born and that her bracelet was originally Paddington's when she found him, used by the bears of El Dorado to find their way home if they ever get lost. Paddington bonds with the other bears making marmalade, but chooses to return home with the Browns, as whilst El Dorado is his home, they are his family.

Back in London, the Reverend Mother is sent to Antarctica to become a nun and work at the home for retired polar bears. Gina and the bears of El Dorado visit Paddington, delighting the Browns and their neighbors. In a mid-credits scene, Paddington and the bears visit Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), the villain of the second film, in prison. He believes he will soon be released for good behavior and plans a play for "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" starring the El Dorado bears.

Cast

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Production

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Development

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In June 2016, the then StudioCanal CEO Didier Lupfer stated that the studio was committed to making a third Paddington film.[1] In November 2017, David Heyman told Digital Spy that though the script for a third film had not been developed, discussions about locations, ideas and scenes had already begun.[2] In November 2018, Heyman noted that a third film was likely to happen, but that Paul King would not be back to direct, though he would still be involved in a prominent creative capacity.[3] In February 2021, Paddington 3 officially began development.[4]

In July 2021, StudioCanal announced that Paddington 3 would begin shooting in the first quarter of 2022. The story for the third film was written by King, Simon Farnaby, and Mark Burton, and the screenplay by Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont.[5] The story was influenced by the Werner Herzog films Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo, due to such films showcasing Peru's incredible variety of landscapes, crazy geology, friendly people and its mysterious Inca mythology, with a Peruvian legend underlying the whole plot and the characters donning traditional-looking clothes in the rural Andes despite counting with modern mopeds and mobile phones.[6] In June 2022, the film's title Paddington in Peru and Dougal Wilson as director were announced, with principal photography now set to begin 2023. It is the feature film directorial debut of Wilson, who previously directed commercials and music videos.[7] In February 2023, Paddington voice actor Ben Whishaw stated that he had yet to read a script and was unsure whether development was continuing.[8] By April, the film was confirmed to still be in development.[9]

Casting and filming

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In June, it was announced that Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin and Imelda Staunton were set to reprise their roles from the previous films, with Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Rachel Zegler and Emily Mortimer added to the cast. Mortimer was replacing Sally Hawkins in the role of Mrs. Brown, who she played in the first two films.[10][11]

Filming commenced in the United Kingdom on 24 July as planned,[12] despite reports that it was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[13] The film was also shot in Colombia and Peru. Filming began without Zegler as she had left for the United States to participate in picketing during the strike;[12][14] Carla Tous later took over the role of Gina Cabot, as Zegler was unable to commit due to the strike.[15] Filming was completed in October 2023.[16]

Queen Elizabeth II briefly appears in the film in a framed photograph with Paddington, taken from the short film featuring the two produced for the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.[17][18] King Charles III also appears briefly on a stamp in a letter Paddington receives at the start of the film.[19]

Post-production

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Visual effects for the film are provided by Framestore.[20]

Music

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The music was composed by Dario Marianelli[21] who previously composed the score for the second film.

Marketing

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In a brand tie-in, Jo Malone released a limited edition Paddington-themed marmalade cologne in early July 2024.[22] A series of Paddington statues were placed across parts of the UK in early October to promote the film.[23][24]

Release

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In May 2023, StudioCanal sold a majority of territories including North America to Sony Pictures for distribution. StudioCanal holds the distribution rights for the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand, while Sony will distribute the film elsewhere except China, Japan and Russia.[25][26] In October 2023, the film was dated for a theatrical release in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2024, by StudioCanal UK, followed by a theatrical release in the United States on 17 January 2025, by Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures Releasing.[27]

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 36 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10.[28] Metacritic which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[29]

Future

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During the Brand Licensing Europe 2024 convention in London, StudioCanal CEO Françoise Guyonnet and head of global sales Sissel Henno revealed that Canal+ is already working on a fourth Paddington film and a spin-off television series, given their focus to "turn a heritage brand into a global phenomenon" by delving deeper into the "ongoing journey of Paddington from a classic character to a worldwide cultural phenomenon", estimating the releases of both productions around 2027 and 2028, where the franchise would have its 70th anniversary. They also announced that by the end of 2024 they will be launching the West End theatre production Paddington: The Musical with producer Sonia Freeman, lyricist Tom Fletcher, writer Jessica Swale and director Luke Sheppard.[30]

References

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  1. ^ Barnes, Henry (20 June 2016). "Back fur more: Paddington films set for third instalment". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  2. ^ Sandwell, Ian (6 November 2017). "Paddington 3 is almost definitely happening". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  3. ^ Chitwood, Adam (5 November 2018). "Exclusive: 'Paddington 3' Is in the Works; Paul King Likely Won't Direct". Collider. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  4. ^ Aurthur, Kate (17 February 2021). "'Paddington 3' Officially in the Works". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  5. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (6 July 2021). "'Paddington 3' Has A Production Start Date As Studiocanal Reveals Bustling Film & TV Slate In Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  6. ^ Travis, Ben (24 September 2024). "Paddington In Peru Will Nod To Werner Herzog's Aguirre And Fitzcarraldo". Empire. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  7. ^ Galuppo, Mia; Kit, Borys (13 June 2022). "'Paddington 3' Finds Its Director and Title (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  8. ^ Oddo, Marco Vito (1 February 2023). "'Paddington 3': Ben Whishaw Gives Disappointing Update on Sequel". Collider. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  9. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (3 April 2023). "Paddington's Back: Threequel 'Paddington In Peru' Will Begin Filming In July". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  10. ^ Galuppo, Mia (23 June 2023). "Paddington 3: Antonio Banderas and Rachel Zegler Join Cast, Emily Mortimer to Replace Sally Hawkins". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  11. ^ Sandwell, Ian (13 June 2024). "Paddington 3 recasting backlash shows fans haven't learnt their lesson". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ a b Calnan, Ellie (26 July 2023). "Studiocanal's 'Paddington In Peru' starts shooting in the UK amid SAG-AFTRA strike". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  13. ^ Bowden, George; Glynn, Paul (14 July 2023). "Which movies and TV shows are impacted by the Hollywood strike?". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  14. ^ Freitag, Lee (8 August 2023). "Sonic the Hedgehog, Paddington Threequels Will Shoot Without SAG-AFTRA Actors". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 9 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  15. ^ Ritman, Alex (23 October 2023). "'Paddington in Peru' Release Dates Confirmed as Rachel Zegler Exits Film Due to SAG-AFTRA Strike". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  16. ^ Pilley, Max (26 October 2023). "Third Paddington film, 'Paddington in Peru', to be released in November 2024". NME. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  17. ^ "How Paddington 3 pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Bond". uk.movies.yahoo.com. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  18. ^ Ritman, Alex (31 October 2024). "How 'Paddington in Peru' Harnessed the Power of Queen Elizabeth II, a First-Time Director and Olivia Colman for the Beloved Bear's Big-Screen Comeback". Variety. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  19. ^ "King Charles makes surprise cameo in Paddington in Peru – all the details". Hello!. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  20. ^ Frei, Vincent (12 June 2024). "Paddington in Peru". The Art of VFX (in French). Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Dario Marianelli Scoring Dougal Wilson's 'Paddington in Peru'". Film Music Reporter. 6 August 2024. Archived from the original on 7 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  22. ^ Anderton, Joe (1 July 2024). "Jo Malone launches limited-edition Paddington marmalade cologne". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 1 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  23. ^ Scott, Elizabeth (18 September 2024). "Paddington Bear statue trail coming to UK ahead of new film". Reading Chronicle. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  24. ^ "Paddington: Statues pop up across UK and Ireland". Newsround. 8 October 2024. Archived from the original on 22 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  25. ^ Galuppo, Mia (19 May 2023). "Cannes: Sony Takes North American Rights to 'Paddington 3'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (19 May 2023). "'Paddington In Peru': Sony Takes Domestic & Key Offshore To Studiocanal & Heyday Threequel". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  27. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Wiseman, Andreas (24 October 2023). "'Paddington In Peru': Studiocanal & Sony Pic Hits UK In Fall 2024, MLK 2025 Stateside; Rachel Zegler Replaced In Cast — Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  28. ^ "Paddington in Peru". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  29. ^ "Paddington In Peru". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  30. ^ Outlaw, Kofi (25 September 2024). "Paddington 4 and TV Series Spinoff Confirmed to Be in Development". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
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