The Paddington Director Didn't Want to Make a Third Movie For a Reason

Summary

• Paddington is one of the most popular contemporary non-Hollywood productions.
• The film series will get a new installment in a year.
• The original Paddington director made himself step down and let another person stand at the helm of the franchise.

It's been six years since the last Paddington movie, but the charming story remains one of the most popular film franchises ever. Based on Michael Bond's stories about Paddington Bear, the first film premiered in 2014 and quickly gained an enthusiastic fan base of all ages. Naturally, a sequel was only a matter of time. And indeed, it was released in 2017 and was just as popular with audiences.

Directed by Paul King, the two-part Paddington franchise was a rare example of non-Hollywood success, as both films were made without the involvement of a major studio. Now the series is about to get a third installment. However, it will be directed by Dougal Wilson in his feature film debut. Meanwhile, Paul King has just released Wonka, a prequel to the beloved Roald Dahl story starring Timothée Chalamet. And it seems the acclaimed director had his own reasons for not making the third film.

Time to Say Goodbye

According to Paul King, it was a tough decision not to return to direct the upcoming third Paddington movie. Apparently, he had become too invested in the character to part ways with the lovably awkward bear.

'I'd made my peace with not making Paddington [in Peru] first [before I took on Wonka]. It was really difficult, because I'd spent eight years with the bear and I felt such incredible love for him. He's an animated character, and the design and the love that went into every single follicle was labor intensive and done with such heart. So it's kind of like sending your kid off to school and going, "I hope you'll be okay!"' Paul King said in a recent interview.

Still, it was simply time to move on and let someone else leave their mark on the franchise.

'It was the right thing to do. And because there's so much Paddington source material, you could make fifty Paddington movies. I'd be a hundred years old and still doing Paddington. If you could only make two or three films [out of the source material], then it might've been different. But by the end of the second film, I was really pleased with where we'd left him. It was time to let go and give somebody else a shot,' the director added.

Paddington in Peru is scheduled for release in November 2024. Paul King is a writer on the upcoming production.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter.