The Paddington movie franchise is set to expand after the upcoming third film Paddington in Peru, arrives early next year. It’s being reported that Paddington 4 already has a greenlight, while a Paddington TV series is also being developed as a spinoff of the film franchise. This was all confirmed during panels for Canal+ group’s StudioCanal unit at the Brand Licensing Europe 2024 convention in London, this week.
Françoise Guyonnet, CEO of StudioCanal, kids & family, and Sissel Henno, head of global sales – licensing & retail at StudioCanal spoke at the presentation, making it clear that when it comes to Paddington, there is dedicated focus toward “Turning a Heritage Brand into a Global Phenomenon,” and delving deeper into the “ongoing journey of Paddington from a classic character to a worldwide cultural phenomenon.”
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Right now, the timeline for development is looking synchronous, with Paddington 4 and the TV show estimated “to come in 2027, ’28.” 2028 will not-so-coincidentally mark the 70th anniversary of the Paddington character and franchise. Other big announcements included confirmation that “At the end of next year… we are launching a musical in the [London] West End with Sonia Freeman, one of the best producers. It’s noted that “Paddington: The Musical will feature music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, with Jessica Swale as writer and Luke Sheppard as director.”
Paddington 3 Story, Cast & Release Date
Paddington in Peru brings Paddington’s story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.
Ben Whishaw returns to voice the titular bear, with the film also starring Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Jim Broadbent, and Imelda Staunton. There will be a big shift behind the scenes, as director Dougal Wilson takes over duties from Paul King – who fully endorsed handing off the reigns of the franchise to Wilson:
“After ten years of working on the Paddington movies, I feel absurdly protective of the little bear, and I’m delighted that Dougal will be there to hold his paw as he embarks on his third big-screen adventure,” King himself added. “Dougal’s work is never less than astounding: funny, beautiful, heartfelt, imaginative, and totally original. Aunt Lucy once asked us to ‘Please Look After This Bear.’ I know Dougal will do so admirably.”
Paddington in Peru has a release date of January 17, 2025.
Via: THR
