Paddington (film)

Paddington is a 2014 live-action animated comedy film written and directed by Paul King. It was developed from a story by King and Hamish McColl, which was based on the stories of the character Paddington Bear created by Michael Bond. Produced by David Heyman, Paddington stars Ben Whishaw as the voice of the title character, with Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman in live-action roles. The film tells the story of Paddington, an anthropomorphic bear who migrates from the jungles of "Darkest Peru" to the streets of London, where he is adopted by the Brown family, unaware he is being pursued by a taxidermist. A British and French venture produced by StudioCanal UK, Heyday Films, TF1 Films Production and Anton Capital Entertainment, Paddington's principal photography began in September 2013 and wrapped up in June 2014. Colin Firth was originally set to voice Paddington, but dropped out in post-production and was replaced by Whishaw. Paddington was released in the United Kingdom on 28 November 2014 and in France on 3 December. The film received critical acclaim, and grossed $268 million against a €38.5 million budget. It received two nominations at the BAFTAs: Best British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay. A sequel, Paddington 2, was released in 2017, and a further sequel, Paddington in Peru, was released in 2024.