It’s only been 7 years since we last saw the undeniably lovable Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) in 2018’s Paddington 2, but the film has had a wild life since its initial release. For a film that only made about $40 million at the U.S. box office (and $227 million worldwide), this film’s impact was immense. Paddington 2 has been called one of the greatest sequels ever made, it was the highest-ranked film on Rotten Tomatoes for years (it still has more positive reviews than The Godfather, Casablanca, or Citizen Kane), and was integral in the Hugh Grant renaissance that we now find ourselves in. Paddington 2 has become so appreciated as a modern classic, its greatness was even the focus of one of the best scenes in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. 2015’s Paddington might’ve been good, but Paddington 2 is already considered a potential masterpiece.
Understandably, making a sequel to a film that’s already talked about as one of the best sequels ever made is not an enviable place to join a franchise, but that’s the case for Dougal Wilson. Taking over the series from Paul King, who directed the first two films, and then went on to make Wonka, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Wilson in his first feature. Wilson’s Paddington in Peru doesn’t have the same highs as King’s take on this world, and some of the joy and warmth that made this series so wonderful occasionally get lost along the way. But as Paddington’s Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton) says, “When skies are grey, hope is the way,” and even if Paddington in Peru doesn’t quite work at the level of those previous films, that burst of hope is very much appreciated.
What Is ‘Paddington in Peru’ About?

We catch up with Paddington as he receives his first passport, making him officially British. But it doesn’t take long before Paddington gets a letter from The Home for Retired Bears, where his Aunt Lucy lives in Peru. The letter, sent by the home’s reverend mother (Olivia Colman) says that Lucy has been missing Paddington since her trip to the U.K. at the end of Paddington 2.
The Brown family agrees to go with Paddington to visit Aunt Lucy in Peru, and it comes at a perfect time. Henry (Hugh Bonneville) has a new boss (Hayley Atwell) at his risk assessment job who thinks taking risks is a good idea, while Mary (Emily Mortimer, taking over for Sally Hawkins) could use a bit of inspiration. The parents could also spend more time with their kids, as Judy (Madeleine Harris) is getting ready to head off to university, while Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) barely ever leaves his room. As Paddington tries to reunite with his family, this trip to Peru could also be just the thing to bring the Brown family back together.
Upon arriving in Peru, the Reverend Mother tells the Brown family that Aunt Lucy has gone missing in the jungle and left her glasses and bracelet behind. Paddington and the Browns head off to find Aunt Lucy, boarding a boat with Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous). Hunter comes from a long line of treasure hunters, who have searched for El Dorado within the Peruvian jungle, to no avail. As Paddington and the Brown family try to find Aunt Lucy, they’ll also have to deal with the wilds of the jungle, suspicious nuns, and plenty of Paddington’s usual antics.
‘Paddington in Peru’s Change of Scenery Is Fun but Lacks the Other Films’ Level of Heart

Image via StudioCanal

A major part of the first two Paddington films’ beauty was watching this sweet little bear go into new communities and watch how his spirit and warmth towards everyone changed the world around him. With Paddington, it was the Brown family who quickly fell in love with this orphaned bear, and in Paddington 2, we saw how the Brown family’s community completely altered because of his kindness — not to mention Paddington’s impressive prison reform once he was wrongfully sent to jail. But by putting Paddington and the Brown family on this adventure, you don’t get to see the society around Paddington change simply through his generosity and tenderness. By sending Paddington on an adventure, the core idea of this series is somewhat lost. Certainly, Paddington in Peru still finds opportunities to show how Paddington’s heart can influence and inspire others, but it doesn’t feel nearly as key here as it does in the other films.
But this adventuring lean does allow us to focus on other aspects that make these movies so special. Paddington in Peru’s screenplay, by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont (with a story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Burton) allows the dynamics of the Brown family to be front and center, and there are more opportunities for Paddington to fall into Rube Goldberg-ian type mistakes that only escalate in nature. This shift to an adventure story allows for the human characters to take more of a central role, with Bonneville having great fun as the stodgy father trying to go outside his comfort zone, and both Colman and Banderas chewing the scenery at every chance. Paddington is still central to the story at hand, but Paddington in Peru does feel far more like an ensemble than past iterations.

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And there’s nothing wrong with that when the ensemble is this good. The standout here is Colman, whose Reverend Mother is so over-the-top and having a ball that it’s great to see the actor back in a more comedic role. By the time she’s leading a choir of nuns, guitar in hand, singing a song about Paddington coming to Peru, you know she’s a perfect addition to this world. Similarly enjoyable is Banderas as Hunter Cabot, who is slowly losing his mind in his quest for gold. However, Hunter is also haunted by his gold-loving ancestors, who come to visit him and guide him down their path, and it can’t help at times but remind of Hugh Grant’s Phoenix Buchanan in Paddington 2, talking to his characters from past roles.
Director Dougal Wilson Has Big Shoes to Fill After Paul King

Image via StudioCanal

As for the style of the Paddington world, previous director Paul King made his films almost feel like Wes Anderson for kids, especially in Paddington 2, where jails were tinted pink and the scale felt much larger. With Paddington in Peru, Dougal Wilson rightfully puts his own stamp on the film, and while he does borrow some of those techniques from King (as with the other films, our catch-up with the Brown family does involve their home opening up like a dollhouse), Wilson understandably leans into the jungle adventure of it all. The film still has moments of twee whimsy, like in The Home for Retired Bears, or our brief time in the Brown residence, yet it feels more conventionally stylized to what we’d expect from an Amazonian adventure film than a Paddington film, for better and for worse.
Even though they were films made for kids, King’s take on the world of Paddington felt ambitious and daring in its execution, and considering Wilson’s background, it’s a bit disappointing that he doesn’t follow suit. For example, Wilson is probably best known for his music videos like LCD Soundsystem’s “Tribulations,” The Streets’ “Fit but You Know It,” and Coldplay’s “Life in Technicolor II,” videos that were stylistically daring and inventive. There are some moments that show that inventiveness in Paddington in Peru, but it’s not nearly the sort of jaw-dropping spectacle that the first two films could be.
But ‘Paddington in Peru’ Is Still a Lovely Time With This Delightful Bear

Image via Studio Canal UK

Paddington in Peru might not be at the same level as the first two films, but it’s still absolutely a worthwhile adventure. We’re still getting all the characters and ideas that we love, just packaged in a different way than we’re expecting. If anything, Paddington in Peru proves just how malleable this character is, and how well he can work in either quiet, simple stories or grand adventures. Even amongst this journey, Paddington in Peru still keeps the love of family — both the one we’re born into and the ones we find — central to this story, and that especially hits hard in the film’s final moments. Burton, Foster, and Lamont’s script also wonderfully weaves in a throughline about immigrants who leave their homes to find a new one, and how beautiful that can be. Paddington in Peru is hitting all the notes we’d want from a Paddington film, it’s just hitting them in a different way than we’d expect after the last two installments.
After seven years away, it feels wonderful to sit back, relax, and enjoy another comforting, warm hug of a movie like Paddington in Peru. It might not reach the levels of Paddington 2 popularity, but that’s unfair to the charming, delightful adventure that we do get. Let’s be honest, at just a few weeks into 2025, we all need a little hope right now, and it’s impossible to not feel that when watching Paddington in Peru.

Paddington in Peru

Paddington in Peru can’t quite match the heights of Paddington 2, but Dougal Wilson’s adventure is a delightful return for this lovable bear.

Release Date

February 14, 2025

Runtime

106 Minutes

Director

Dougal Wilson

Writers

Michael Bond, Mark Burton, Simon Farnaby

Pros & Cons

Paddington in Peru proves that this bear can work in basically any situation he’s thrown into.
The new characters, played by Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas, are great additions to this franchise.
Paddington movies still feel like a warm hug, and that’s what we need right now.

Paddington in Peru isn’t as visually inventive as the previous iterations.
The focus on community is somewhat missed in this adventure story.