Paddington 2's co-writer Simon Farnaby has shared an update on the progress of Paddington 3, teasing the story and a "great director." Released in 2014, Paddington saw the world's favorite bear from "Darkest Peru" hit the big screen for the first time. Met with critical acclaim and quickly growing a devoted fan base, a sequel was greenlit and Paddington 2 followed in 2017. The sequel, an even bigger hit than the first film, has become one of the best-reviewed films ever. Initially boasting a unique 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, one 'rotten' review reduced the sequel to a tie with Citizen Kane at 99% as the highest-rated Rotten Tomatoes film of all time.
Based on Michael Bond's children's books, the Paddington series follows the duffel-coat-wearing and marmalade-loving bear Paddington as he is taken in by the Brown family after discovering the bear at Paddington Station in London. With a third film planned before Paddington 2 had hit screens, the departure of director Paul King contributed to the delay, which will likely see at least a six-year gap between the second and third films. Recently, however, actor Ben Whishaw, who voices Paddington, recently confirmed that filming on Paddington 2 would begin by the end of the year.
Speaking to Yahoo! Movies while promoting his new film Phantom of the Open, Farnaby, who co-wrote Paddington 2 and appeared as Barry the security guard in both films, provided an update on the threequel. Farnaby revealed that he and the writer/director of the previous films, King, had the idea for Paddington 3's story. The British writer and actor also teased that Paddington 3 has "a great director," though remained tight-lipped on who that might be. Read the full quote below:
"Paul and I did tentatively write a story for Paddington 3, so we are involved. And I think Paul is involved at an executive level. We did have an idea for it ... They've got great writers and I think they've got a great director, so I think it will be brilliant, but we're slightly to one side for now."
Audiences will be pleased to hear that King and Farnaby are involved in Paddington 3 in at least some capacity. King's direction on both films elevated them above family-friendly comedies to become a well-loved series by all ages, setting high expectations for whoever is chosen to take the director's chair. With King stepping aside from writing and directing duties for the third film, it's still not yet been announced who will helm Paddington 3. King's departure from the third Paddington adventure is in part due to his busy schedule, as he is currently shooting the Timothée Chalamet-starring Wonka, which he co-wrote with Farnaby.
With a director in place and Whishaw revealing that production will start before the end of the year, fans can rejoice that it won't be too long until we see the bear back on the big screen. With so much shrouded in mystery, however, its story and cast remain unclear. Aside from the return of Paddington and the Browns, nothing can be guaranteed. Whatever happens, Paddington 3 will have a tough task in topping the success of its predecessors, especially when it comes to matching Hugh Grant's lauded performance as the villainous Pheonix Buchanan that was praised by just about everyone apart from the actor's own children, who initially hated Paddington 2. Still, it seems likely that Paddington 3 is in capable hands and won't inspire too much ire.
Source: Yahoo! Movies