Paddington is arguably one of the most likable film franchises ever. The family movies have stirred up a massive following and have been lauded for their direction and storytelling. That's probably why many were excited to learn that there is a third movie on the way, and it'll continue the wonderful and unpredictable adventures of the beloved bear. The upcoming installment, Paddington in Peru, introduces a new director to the franchise, who has a surprising indie movie influence for the highly anticipated threequel.
In an exclusive interview with our sister site Total Film, director Douglas Wilson opened up about his first feature film and what fans can expect from it. Surprisingly, he revealed that the third act of Triangle of Sadness was an inspiration for him, and he planned on channeling it for Paddington 3. This is surprising, as tonally, the Oscar-nominated dark satire is completely different from the first two installments in the delightful film franchise.
Per plot information that's currently available, Paddington in Peru will follow the titular bear as he embarks on an unexpected adventure through Peruvian mountains and rainforests while on vacation with the Brown family to visit Aunt Lucy. This is an innocent enough story that suggests the storybook-turned-movie hero will have some exciting family-friendly experiences while getting lost in the South America country. It doesn’t hint at anything nearly as sinister and complex as the black-comedy Triangle of Sadness, and it makes me very curious how the director plans on infusing the influence into the children's film.
For context, the third act of Triangle of Sadness finds the passengers on a sunken cruise ship washed up on a beach. While early on, viewers see the wealthy passengers on the boat and taking advantage of the lower class staff, the situation flips when survival relies on the skills possessed by the working class. The cleaning woman becomes the ruling authority on the island, and she immediately seizes her newfound power. The Ruben Östlund-helmed film draws attention to the class system and how wealth and power will always lead people to take advantage of those beneath them.
These are very complex and allegorical themes that one probably wouldn't link to the red-hatted bear. However, influence can come from anywhere and, in some cases, directors will cite sources that differ drastically from the actual production they're working on. Douglas Wilson could be taking these cues to build strong character dynamics, drive out great performances from the Paddington 3 cast and better represent the beautiful visuals that come from the shooting locations. The indie film could certainly help the light-hearted romp in those regards. Ultimately, we'll just have to see how it all plays out when the movie finally hits theaters.
No official release date has been announced for Paddington in Peru, as of this writing. But while you wait for the third installment, make sure to check out the original movie, which is now streaming with a Netflix subscription. You can also see the unexpected influence for the threequel, Triangle of Sadness, as it's currently available for Hulu subscribers.
