The third entry in the popular Paddington film franchise delivers not just heartwarming moments and laughs but also plenty of excitement.

Indiana Jones. Lara Croft. Nathan Drake. These are some of the greatest adventure heroes in movies and other media. Now, an unlikely, pint-sized, fuzzy figure attempts to join their ranks: Paddington Bear. The third and latest entry in the Paddington movie series takes the character far out of his comfort zone but, in so doing, also brings him closer to his roots.

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Paddington (Ben Whishaw) receives troubling news from the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) who oversees the Home for Retired Bears in Peru. His Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), the only bear family whom Paddington has left, has been acting erratically.

Paddington’s adoptive family, the Browns, comprising Henry (Hugh Bonneville), Mary (Emily Mortimer), Judy (Madeleine Harris), Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), and their housekeeper, Mrs Bird (Julie Walters), accompany Paddington to Peru to check up on Aunt Lucy, only to discover that she has disappeared. Following the clues she has left behind, they must find Rumi Rock, deep in the Amazon rainforest.

The Browns hire boat captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous) to guide them, but Hunter is haunted by his ancestors and is obsessed with finding the fabled Lost City of El Dorado. Paddington embarks on the adventure of a lifetime as he discovers his origins.

The marmalade-loving furball has come a long way from his first appearance in Michael Bond’s 1958 children’s book A Bear Called Paddington. He’s since become an icon, appearing in various animated TV series and the critically acclaimed movie franchise (Paddington 2 is often unironically hailed as one of the greatest mainstream films of the 21st century). Paddington has even been featured having tea with Queen Elizabeth II in a sketch celebrating her Platinum Jubilee.

Dougal Wilson, who has helmed many music videos and commercials, makes his feature directorial debut with Paddington in Peru. “I was a bit taken aback … It wasn’t something I’d been plotting or planning to do, so it was just an opportunity that arrived,” Wilson tells The AU Review. He is filling in for Paul King, who directed the first two Paddington movies and had to sit this one out due to scheduling conflicts with Wonka. Helping Wilson bring Paddington to life was a team that included animation director Pablo Grillo, on-set stand-in Lauren Bertrand, and stunt performer Javier Marzan.

Wilson has upped the stakes — and the fun — by bringing Paddington on his biggest adventure yet. He wound up spending two months in South America doing research, visiting the rainforest in Puerto Maldonado, the Nazca Lines, Cusco, and Machu Picchu to prepare for the movie, which has many scenes set in Peru and the Amazon rainforest.

Even though Wilson plays up the movie’s adventure elements, he still retains what people love about Paddington: his friendly, unfailingly polite, and quietly upbeat personality.

Returning to voice Paddington from the first two films and the spinoff animated series is Ben Whishaw. Colin Firth was initially announced as the voice of Paddington for the first film before being replaced by Whishaw, who has settled into the role.

What does it take to voice the icon? “He should be funny. But he also needs to be tender. He can’t be too knowing, not ever,” Whishaw tells The New York Times about his approach. “If it becomes too much wink-wink, then he just dies as a character. Sometimes, he must be a little melancholy, other times quizzical. He always has to be very optimistic.” Whishaw also tells Big Issue, “[Paddington] represents truly lovely things, and he brings delight, and he’s kind and entirely uncynical.” Perhaps this is the movie hero we need the most in these turbulent times.

Paddington in Peru is different from the first two films and places the eponymous creature in different, exciting circumstances. But it preserves everything audiences have come to love about him — and this has paid off at the box office with a worldwide gross of nearly US$200 million. Unsurprisingly, a fourth film has been announced, and while its release date hasn’t been confirmed, it could coincide with Paddington’s 70th anniversary in 2028. Hopefully, the wait won’t be too long to bear.

Paddington in Peru

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Paddington in Peru

Paddington embarks on a thrilling quest through the rainforests of the Amazon to find his Aunt Lucy, and along the way, may also uncover one of the world's most legendary treasures.

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