The last year has been a rough one for oh so many reasons, but easily one of the most delightful things to come out of the last 12 months was the social media interaction between Florence Pugh and Paddington Bear, the real actress and the fictional character bonding over a shared love of marmalade. It was a fun internet moment that also spurred quite a lot of love for Paddington and his future on the big screen – and if you were part of that wave we have some good news. Paddington 3 is now in the works.
News of this development comes from Variety, which has gotten word from representatives at Studiocanal, the production company behind the series, the sequel is now in the works. While there aren't many details, a simple statement from the studio said, "We can confirm Studiocanal is working very hard on film 3 with the utmost craft and care — as with film 1 and 2." Director Paul King, who took the helm of both Paddington and Paddington 2, will not be back in that role for the trilogy capper, but he apparently is still involved (the trade report doesn't specify in what capacity).
Based on the beloved book series originally created by author Michael Bond and artist Peggy Fortnum, the Paddington movies have been perceived as kind of box office underdogs given their small scale, but the films have been blockbuster successes – particularly overseas. The first movie, for example, was released domestically in January 2015 and never made it higher than third place on the Top 10 chart, but nonetheless it managed to make $76.3 million in North America, and $282.4 million globally. The first sequel didn't do quite as well when it came out three years later, but it still made $228 million in ticket sales before it was finished playing on the big screen.
As for who is actually making Paddington 3, we can't say for certain at the moment. While Paul King may be pulling certain strings behind the scenes, the director's chair remains empty, and he is also currently busy making the upcoming Charlie And The Chocolate Factory prequel Wonka. Per the new trade report, Hugh Bonneville (who plays Henry Brown in the first two movies) recently told the hosts of BBC Radio 2's The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show that the new sequel is "on the horizon," so it seems safe to say that he will be involved. One can also hope that the production won't have a hard time bringing back Ben Whishaw, whose voice is just perfect as the marmalade-loving bear from the Peruvian rainforest.
That being said, one of the most amazing thing about Paddington 2 is the new talent it brought on board – including Brendan Gleeson and Hugh Grant – so we're particularly excited to see the new faces that join this adorable franchise. And, of course, there is one name that is at the top of our wish list: Florence Pugh. Obviously the young actor is quite busy at the moment, what with having a potentially huge role in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and all, but does anyone not want to see this exchange brought to life in a film?
Hopefully we'll hear more information about the development of Paddington 3 soon, including details about who is going to make it, and who is going to be in it.
