Paddington 3 Adds Olivia Colman & New Director

Academy Award winner and much-loved actress Olivia Colman has joined the cast of Paddington 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Colman, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for 2019’s period black comedy The Favourite and is best known for roles in the likes of The Crown, The Father, and the British sitcom Peep Show, will surely be a very welcome addition to the continuing adventures of the live action Paddington Bear.

Sources have revealed that Olivia Colman will star in Paddington 3 as a character who runs a retirement home for bears in Peru, which should be familiar to fans of the beloved bear as he often talks of his Aunt Lucy and the Home for Retired Bears, a building that can be found within the jungles of ‘Darkest Peru.’ Colman has become a sought-after talent in Hollywood in recent years, and recently joined the MCU, starring alongside Samuel L. Jackson in the ongoing Disney+ series, Secret Invasion.

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Earlier reports have revealed that Paddington 3 will have a new man in charge. Filmmaker Dougal Wilson is taking over the franchise’s latest installment. The movie, from StudioCanal and Heyday Films, will officially be titled Paddington in Peru. Directing the film will be a new challenge for Wilson, known for his work in music videos and commercials until now. In the past, he’s worked with major brands like Apple, AT&T, and Ikea. In addition, the director has experience with LCD Soundsystem and Coldplay in the music video space, earning Wilson both DGA and Grammy nominations.

However, this will be Wilson’s first venture into feature films, and he’s going big for his directorial debut. The first two films were massive successes both critically and commercially, raking in more than $500 million worldwide. In addition, the movies have a 97 percent and 99 percent fresh rating on rotten tomatoes, a fantastic score from critics. Wilson recently shared his thoughts on taking over the Paddington franchise:

“As a huge fan of the first two films, I am very excited (if not a little intimidated) to be continuing the story of Paddington. It’s a massive responsibility, but all my efforts will be focused on making a third film that honors the love so many people have for this very special bear.”

Wilson is taking over Paddington from director Paul King, who helmed the first two films. When King took on the directing duties in 2014 for the first Paddington movie, he was also relatively unknown. He is credited with a few projects, including Little Crackers, Come Fly WIth Me, and Bunny and the Bull. However, Paddington is by far his most well-known project, and he knocked it out of the park with both iterations. Wilson is now in a very similar position and hopes to recreate the success of King.

Related: Paddington Bear Visits Queen Elizabeth II for Her Platinum Jubilee

Wilson has King’s Blessing for Paddington in Peru

StudioCanal

Paul King is currently working on Warner Bros.’ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel, Wonka, starring Timothee Chalamet. However, that doesn’t mean that the lovable bear isn’t near and dear to the director’s heart. When speaking on the passing of the torch from King to Wilson, the filmmaker had this to say:

“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. 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 be so admirably.”

King is still involved with Paddington in Peru, serving as an executive producer and writing the story for the film. The cast and plot are currently under wraps; however, you can expect to see Ben Whishaw returning to voice the iconic bear. The movie won’t begin filing till 2023, and we likely won’t see Paddington in Peru hitting theaters until sometime in 2024.

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