When the meme-spawning first trailer for Paddington landed in June, 2014, we along with everyone else feared the worst. Thankfully, Paul King’s film proved to be a complete delight, so it’s with a mixture of excitement and heightened expectation that we greet the first-look teaser for the director’s follow-up.
Ben Whishaw is back voicing the furry protagonist, with Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin all reprising their roles from the first film. Imelda Staunton joins the Paddington family as Aunt Lucy, and there’s also room in the star-packed cast list for Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson.
The official synopsis hints at everyone’s favourite marmalade-loving, Peruvian immigrant getting up to more hijinks: “While searching for the perfect present for his beloved Aunt Lucy’s hundredth birthday, Paddington spots a unique pop-up book in Mr Gruber’s antique shop, and embarks upon a series of odd jobs to buy it. But when the book is stolen, it’s up to Paddington and the Browns to unmask the thief…”
We hope King and co are able to recapture some of the magic of the original, which for our money is one of the best kids’ films of the new millennium. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that everyone concerned will be looking to do justice to Michael Bond’s beloved character.
Paddington 2 is set for release in the UK on 10 November, 2017.
Published 30 May 2017
This one-for-the-ages family movie based on the books by Michael Bond is a full-blown Christmas triumph.
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