The Next Paddington Movie Gets A Heart-Breaking Update
Paddington voice actor says there isn't even a script yet for the third movie, Paddington in Peru.
Paddington fans may want to drown their sorrows in marmalade after hearing that a 3rd film starring the lovable bear isn’t coming out any time soon. The voice of Paddington, Ben Whishaw, told Collider recently that there is no set window to begin production on the sequel. According to Whishaw, the film doesn’t even have a script yet.
Whishaw says that he’s gotten nothing but radio silence when it comes to the anticipated 3rd Paddington film — an announcement that will no doubt disappoint fans looking forward to revisiting their favorite fuzzy scamp. The fact that the movie has a title, Paddington In Peru, seemed to be an indicator that the sequel was moving forward, something that Whishaw says is sadly not the case.
“It’s gone silent in the way that sometimes these things do. Maybe that just means they’re still working on it, or maybe it means it’s not happening,” Whishaw told Collider. StudioCanal UK, the production company responsible for bringing Paddington to life, would be foolish not to make the movie given the positive response to the last one.
Perhaps positive is an understatement. Paddington 2 sits at an almost unheard-of 99% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. That means that of the 252 critic reviews the site boasts, 249 of them gave the film a glowing review. It’s actually closer to 249 and 1/2, but it’s doubtful there is half a critic out there giving movie reviews.
Of course, if there were, they would no doubt love Paddington 2 as well.
The movie is so universally beloved that it frequently gets mentioned in lists of the greatest movies of all time. It’s so popular that another film, the Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal vehicle, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, devotes an entire sequence to Paddington 2. An impressive feat for any movie but especially a kid’s movie starring a CGI bear.
Paddington Bear first appeared in the 1958 British children’s book A Bear Called Paddington. The character soon charmed the entirety of the UK before moving on to become a worldwide phenomenon. Paddington appeared in several more books as well as an animated series and in the form of plushies of every size and shape.
In 1994 British tunnellers working on the Channel Tunnel chose a stuffed Paddington Bear as the first item to pass through the tunnel. When the two groups met in the middle, the British workers handed the Paddington stuffy to their French counterparts. Such is the power of Paddington.
Despite Paddington’s long and varied history as a beloved icon, it’s 2014’s Paddington and 2017’s Paddington 2 that are responsible for the character’s current level of popularity. Something the StudioCanal executives responsible for holding the lovable bear hostage should realize. Audiences would be crushed if their favorite raincoat-wearing marmalade muncher never came back from holiday.
As much as Whishaw’s news might cause disciples of the Peruvian teddy to want to riot, we must think of what our furry savior would do. Paddington would no doubt sit the heads of StudioCanal UK down and give them one of his famous hard stares. If that doesn’t work, there’s always bribery with a marmalade sandwich.
