Seven years after his last big cinema adventure, Paddington returns to the big screen. The two celebrated fantasy films by Paul King, which once again made the little jam-loving bear a British national treasure, will now be followed by the hotly anticipated sequel, Paddington in Peru, in January 2025.
And according to the first international reviews, Paddington fans can expect another one magical fantasy adventure look forward to it – even if the sequel can’t quite live up to its strong predecessors.
“Stupid jokes and a big heart”: Initial reactions to Paddington in Peru promise a magical fantasy adventure
For example, Stephanie Bunbury from Deadline writes that Paddington in Peru is based heavily on its previous films, but that doesn’t detract from the magic of the film:
It doesn’t matter if the movie is pretty much the same as the last one, just rehashed. Because actually that’s exactly what you want: The third version of the story, how the little bear is welcomed by strangers, is still magical. And if you want to see something new, Olivia Colman twirls around on a mountain as a nun. You know you want to see this.
Emily Murray from Total Film joins in the praise of Paddington’s adventures – albeit with reservations – and particularly praises the newcomers Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas:
While Paddington in Peru is a step below the previous films and takes time to find its footing, it is another adorable adventure for the popular bear. Colman is sensational as the singing nun and Banderas stands out hilariously. Can we please make these films forever?
For Digital Spy’s Ian Sandwell, Paddington in Peru delivers everything audiences could expect from the film:
After a shaky start, Paddington finds its paws in Peru and delivers everything you want from a Paddington film: innovative show values, stupid jokes and a big heart.
Watch a trailer for Paddington in Peru here:
Paddington in Peru – Trailer (German) HD
However, the “step back” to the previous two Paddington films is more significant for other critics, which deprives the bear of its uniqueness. For example, Guy Lodge from Variety writes:
The result is no longer as tonally and formally distinctive as the previous films, just as the script feels more like a template than before. Paddington belongs to everyone these days, and it should. But he is in the process a little less strange become.
David Ehrlich from Indie Wire, on the other hand, finds a harsher conclusion for the third Paddington adventure:
The third Paddington film isn’t bad, but Paddington 2 director Paul King clearly has took the magic of the series with themwhen he left her for Wonka. When is Paddington in Peru coming to the cinema?
While Wonka director Paul King handed over the director’s chair for the fantasy sequel to Dougal Wilson, we can once again look forward to the voice of Ben Whishaw as Paddington in the English original.
Paddington in Peru opens in cinemas in Great Britain just in time for Christmas. In this country we have to wait until January 30, 2025 be patient.