Is ‘Paddington in Peru’ put on hold due to actors strike?
Update: The SAG-AFTRA strike is likely to impact the third Paddington Bear movie. “Meanwhile, the third Paddington movie, ‘Paddington in Peru,’ was meant to start work later this month but producers may now need to stock up on marmalade sandwiches for the time being,” BBC reported.
Paddington Bear, aka the naturally spectacled bear with a love of marmalade, is returning in a new movie, “Paddington in Peru.”
The bush hat-wearing bear first hit the big screen in 2014 with the release of “Paddington.” The film featured the bear wandering around Paddington Station trying to make a home in London. Eventually, the Brown family spots him wearing a sign that says, “Please look after this bear. Thank you,” and they take the bear into their home, per IMDb.
Related
A sequel was released in 2017 called “Paddington 2,” which showed Paddington at home with the Brown family. He finds a pop-up book he’d like to give to Aunt Lucy and saves up money to buy it, only for it to be stolen. Paddington and the Brown family work together to solve the mystery, per IMDb.
These first two movies cemented Paddington’s lovable legacy and did well at the box office and in reviews. Here’s everything we know about the sequel to “Paddington 2” and a look at Paddington Bear throughout the last few decades.
‘Paddington in Peru’ plot
It’s expected the crew and cast will begin filming in July. The film reportedly follows Paddington’s journey from London through the Amazon rainforest and Peruvian mountains as he returns to Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy, according to Variety.
‘Paddington in Peru’ cast
Ben Whishaw, who voiced Paddington, and Hugh Bonneville, who played Mr. Brown, are set to return to their roles. Emily Mortimer will replace Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Brown, Olivia Colman will play the nun who runs the Home for Retired Bears, Antonio Banderas will play Hunter Cabot, who helps Paddington and the Brown family in Peru, and Rachel Zegler will act as Gina Cabot, who is Hunter’s daughter, per Deadline.
Related
‘Paddington in Peru’ release date
There isn’t an announced release date yet for “Paddington in Peru.” It may be released in spring or summer 2024, per Screen Rant.
What is the story of Paddington Bear?
In 1956, Michael Bond saw a teddy bear sitting by itself in the Selfridge’s department store on Christmas Eve. He said, “It looked rather forlorn,” and purchased the bear for his wife, according to the New York Post. Then, he wrote his first book about the bear, “A Bear Called Paddington.”
Paddington Bear is an orphaned bear who is often depicted as wearing a red bush hat and a blue coat. Aunt Lucy sends Paddington to Britain from Peru when she goes to the Home for Retired Bears. It’s at the Paddington station in London where the Brown family picks up Paddington, per the New York Post.
He was orphaned at only a few weeks old due to an earthquake and he’s found with a small suitcase and a sign around his neck that reads, “Please Look After This Bear. Thank You.” The Brown family names him Paddington after the station he was found in, but his real name is Pastuso, according to Paddington’s website.
“Paddington is a very polite bear. He is very well-meaning and full of good intentions but his trusting nature can often get him into trouble,” Paddington’s website said. “If people upset Paddington then they may get treated to one of his famous hard stares!”
Paddington is also known for his love of marmalade. He has a jar of marmalade in his suitcase and will often tuck a marmalade sandwich underneath his hat, per Paddington’s website. In addition to his iconic hat and jacket, he sometimes also wears Wellington boots.
Related
Why is Paddington Bear so special?
Paddington has gained a reputation as a very kind bear and has important cultural significance.
After Queen Elizabeth II passed away, mourners left stuffed Paddington bears and marmalade sandwiches to mourn her. Three months before her passing, Paddington and the queen sat across from each other at the table as she offered him a marmalade sandwich, in a video filmed as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, according to BBC.
“That was the final image of the Queen for many people — that’s what they remember, and so they associated her with Paddington,” Karen Jankel, Bond’s daughter, told BBC.
Paddington’s unique features, such as love of marmalade, have also set him apart. In 2007, there was an advertisement of Paddington eating a Marmite sandwich instead of a marmalade sandwich. Marmite is a yeasty, dark brown sticky spread popular in Britain. Fans complained about Paddington’s switch in diet, according to Reuters.
After the advertisement came out, Bond said, per Reuters, “I have to report that although Paddington found the sandwich interesting, bears are creatures of habit. Besides, Squeezy Marmite may spread well, but it doesn’t have any chunks.”
Besides his mannerisms, his connection to British royalty and his unique features, Paddington has consistently been a sign of compassion.
“The theme of compassion for the displaced was present in the Paddington stories from the start: in interviews, Bond spoke often of how the character was inspired by the sight of evacuees sent down from London during World War II,” Jake Wilson wrote for The Sydney Morning Herald. “Significantly, Paddington’s closest friend aside from the Browns has always been a fellow immigrant — the European antique dealer Mr. Gruber, played by Jim Broadbent on screen.”
Why does Paddington Bear wear a hat?
One of Paddington’s iconic features includes a red bush hat. Paddington inherits the red hat from his Uncle Pastuzo in the first movie, per Paddington Bear’s fandom page. The hat is also connected to Paddington’s love of marmalade sandwiches and he follows his uncle’s advice, “A wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in his hat in case of emergency.”
What is the age of Paddington Bear?
The first Paddington Bear story was published in 1958, which means Paddington will be turning 65 this year.
