Paddington in Peru director was "terrified" to take over from Paul King
Dougal Wilson helms the third marmalade-fuelled instalment of the series about everyone's favourite bear.
It's a truth almost universally agreed upon that the first two Paddington movies – especially the second one – are as close to pitch perfect family films as you could possibly get.
Both films blend whimsical sets and lovable characters with a magical sense of fun and heartwarming message about acceptance and inclusivity, while also both featuring scenery-chewing villains played by Hollywood A-listers as the top of their game.
There was, therefore, a certain degree of pressure on the latest film in the franchise, Paddington in Peru, to keep things on the same track – and indeed director Dougal Wilson explained in a recent interview with RadioTimes.com that he was a little nervous about stepping into the shoes of Paul King, who helmed those two prior instalments.
"I'm not sure excited was the right word, I think terrified is probably more accurate!" he said when asked how he felt to be taking the reigns.
"Because those two first films are so beloved and they're so good. When I was approached to get involved, I was very anxious about trying to continue the quality of those two films, but I was joining a great team who had been involved in the first two films."
He continued: "Paul had a hand in the story, and I also had the help of the fantastic animation director Pablo Grillo and the same cinematographer, Erik Wilson, but I was excited about all the the fantastic people I was going to be working with, and all the the amazing scenes we were going to try and create.
"But the story and the heart of the film I never relaxed about, because I thought we've got to get this right, and this has got to be a worthy successor. And you know, let's see what people make of it but we tried as hard as we could to follow up Paddington 2.”
Thankfully, it seems to have come good, with critical reviews – including our own 4-star write-up – arguing that although it falls slightly short of the last film, it's still a wonderful continuation of the series that should be a treat for the whole family.
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And producer Rosie Alison, who has worked on all three films, certainly seems happy with the work Wilson has done in keeping the quality of the films so high.
"I think a lot of people enjoy the Paddington films because of the aesthetic," she explained. "It has this wonderful sort of theatrical story book, heightened feel to it. And it's a sort of love letter to cinema, really.
"And and it felt like Dougal was a really good... Paul King, very much was a world creator who built that aesthetic, and I knew that Dougal would have all the visual invention and flair to continue that beautiful love letter to cinema aesthetic."
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Paddington in Peru will be released on Friday 8th November 2024.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
