Despite the beloved reputation that Paddington 2 has, the third film in the franchise is currently sitting in limbo. According to the voice of the iconic bear, the status of a Paddington 3 hasn’t changed much in years.
Speaking to Collider, Ben Whishaw — who voiced the character in both films, as well as the follow-up television series — said that he hasn’t read a script for a third Paddington film. He also noted that he has no real idea of what might be happening for the potential sequel.
“I haven’t read this script and I don’t even know when we’re due to shoot it,” said Whisaw. “I don’t know. I thought it would be happening by now, but I don’t know. It’s gone silent in the way that sometimes these things do. Maybe that just means they’re still working on it, or maybe it means it’s not happening, or you just don’t know.”
Following Paddington 2‘s release in 2017, the possibility of another entry in the series had been discussed almost immediately. The most recent update came in 2022 when a potential title for the film, Paddington in Peru, was revealed, with Dougal Wilson set to direct.
The previous two films were directed by Paul King, with 2017’s Paddington 2 being a critical and box office success. The sequel was met with universally rave reviews and went on to be praised even in other media, like the 2022 film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
