Crack out the marmalade! Third Paddington film is in the works
The movie is in development as Paddington prepares for his next adventure
Our favourite marmalade-loving duffel coat-wearing bear is on his way back to the big screen – as work has begun on Paddington 3.
Paddington won our hearts in the 2014 movie, written and directed by Paul King, before making a triumphant return in 2017 with a sequel starring Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Grant and Julie Walters. The bear himself is voiced by Ben Whishaw.
Now we've finally had confirmation from producer David Heyman that a third movie is in development – and there's already a treatment setting out a potential storyline for Paddington's next adventure.
- Paddington 2 without the visual effects (or the bear) is very unnerving
- Paddington 2 review: "One of the best movies of the year"
- Stay up to date with the RadioTimes.com newsletter
Heyman told Collider: "We’re developing a third Paddington. We haven’t got a script yet, we’ve got a treatment which we’re still working on."
But there a couple of caveats. Number one, Paul King is involved but probably won't be in the director's chair this time; and number two, the film could still be scrapped.
"I don’t think Paul King will direct the third. He did the first two — he and I are working on another project together," Heyman said.
He added: "Paul is involved in it, I wanted him to be involved in it because I think he’s such a significant voice, but I don’t think he’ll direct it.
"He worked on the idea… he comes up with the idea with Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton and then they develop it and come back for more, back and forth, and then it’ll get written and Paul will come in and stir it up a little bit. But he’s an incredible collaborator, Paul. Very positive, very supportive."
Thanks in part to Paddington's success, King is now hugely in demand and is currently attached to Disney's live-action Pinocchio movie and Warner Bros' Willy Wonka remake.
And Paddington 3 is by no means a dead cert, anyway: Heyman vowed that it would only go into production if everyone felt it would match up to the brilliance of the first two films.
“I hope we get to make it. It’s really fun, it’s a fun idea," he said. "I don’t know yet. I don’t want to do it if I don’t think it’s going to be good."
