Fourth Paddington movie in the pipeline

...as well as a TV series

Paddington is to star in his fourth family-friendly comedy – as well as a TV series, the rights-owners have confirmed.

The news comes ahead of Paddington In Peru hitting cinemas on November 8, as well as the launch of a West End musical next year, and follows the opening of the Paddington Bear Experience in London’s County Hall this summer.

Speaking at the Brand Licensing Europe convention in London, StudioCanal executive Françoise Guyonnet revealed: ‘We are working on a new TV series and a new movie to come in 2027, 2028.’

According to the Hollywood Reporter, she told the audience: ‘This year has been really focused around content, experiential and digital strategy’ – which are probably not words author Michael Bond would have recognised when he first wrote A Bear Called Paddington in 1958.

The new film will capitalise on the 70th anniversary of that book.

The first Paddington film was released in 2014, taking more than £210million at the box office from a budget of £50million.

The third film, Paddington In Peru, involves the titular bear returning to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy. Ben Whishaw again voices Paddington, with Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy.

The cast list also includes Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent, with Antonio Banderas as a character called Hunter Cabot, and Olivia Colman as The Reverend Mother.

In another example of cashing in on the brand, Jo Malone released a limited edition Paddington-themed marmalade cologne. While a Roblox game featuring Paddington will launch in November.

Guyonnet said she wanted to ‘turn a heritage brand into a global phenomenon’ by as part of the ‘ongoing journey of Paddington from a classic character to a worldwide cultural phenomenon’.

StudioCanal acquired all the intellectual property rights to Paddington Bear, except for publishing, for an undisclosed fee in a 2016 deal.