Britain’s most beloved bear (we said what we said, Rupert) is off on a brand new adventure, albeit with some changes behind the scenes.
When is Paddington in Peru being released in New Zealand?
Paddington in Peru hits New Zealand cinemas on January 1, 2025.
Paddington in Peru
What is Paddington in Peru about?
Well, there’s this bear, see…
Much like Crocodile Dundee 2, Paddington in Peru reverses the journey taken in the first film, with our plucky and kind-hearted hero traveling from London to South America to visit his Aunt Lucy, with the veddy British Brown family in tow. Hijinks ensue, presumably. Interestingly, previous director Paul King (Wonka) is not back, although he had a hand in the screen story. Music video maven Dougal Wilson is calling the shots instead, making his feature directing debut.
The cast of Paddington in Peru
The terrifically tonsiled Ben Whishaw is again voicing Paddington, while Imelda Staunton is Aunt Lucy (also a bear, in case you were wondering). Appearing in the flesh are Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown, Emily Mortimer as Mary Brown (replacing Sally Hawkins—good luck), Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown, Samuel Joslin as Jonathan “J-Dog” Brown, Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird, Jim Broadbent as Samuel Gruber, Olivia Colman as The Reverend Mother, and Antonio Banderas as Hunter Cabot—presumably the villain, and probably planning to give Hugh Grant a real run for his money. We hope.
Paddington in Peru trailer
Why we’re excited about Paddington in Peru
The first two Paddington flicks are bona fide modern children’s classics—about as good as kids’ movies can get. Will it be a case of third time’s the charm, or will the absence of Paul King and a relatively untested hand on the tiller result in a subpar offering? Who can say? We’re turning up anyway—half as good as what has gone before is still twice as good as your average school holiday programmer.
