UPDATE OCT 24 01:30AM PST: One thing that slipped under the radar yesterday was that Spanish newcomer Carla Tous took over the Gina Cabot role that was to be played by Rachel Zegler who had to drop out due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. We had checked in with the producers in recent months about how they were planning to get round the Zegler-strike issue but it only quietly came to light yesterday that she had been recast.
ORIGINAL OCT 23, 07.18AM PST: Paddington in Peru will hit U.S. cinemas on January 17, 2025 MLK Weekend, but will debut in the UK about two months prior on November 8, 2024, Sony said Monday.
Deadline told you first during Cannes that Sony snapped up U.S., Canada and key international territories including Latin America for the Studiocanal and Heyday Films threequel.
In the Dougal Wilson-directed picture, Paddington heads to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and to the mountain peaks of Peru. Screenplay is by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont. Story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton based on the children’s stories by British author Michael Bond.
Paddington is produced by David Heyman and Rosie Alison. EPs are Paul King, Anna Marsh, Ron Halpern, Dan MacRae, Tim Wellspring, Jeffrey Clifford and Naoya Kinoshita. Pic stars Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Jim Broadbent and Carla Tous with both Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton returning as the respective voices of Paddington and Aunt Lucy.
Studiocanal developed the movie and is fully financing and releasing in in the UK, France, Germany, Benelux, Poland, Australia and New Zealand as well as through partners in China and Japan. The film is produced by Heyday Films.
A start-of-production photo dropped today with announcements on social:
Sony, which has a long history with live-action kids movies, i.e., Lyle Lyle Crocodile and Goosebumps, always wanted in on the Paddington franchise. When North American rights for Paddington 2 came up in a $30 million-plus auction, Sony was one of the bidders with Warner Bros, though that sequel ultimately went to Heyday’s Harry Potter studio. Through two movies worldwide, Paddington has reaped more than $500 million at the box office, with the franchise counting such BAFTA nominations as Best British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay.
