Paddington 3 release date: Cast, plot and latest news about upcoming threequel

The return of everyone's favourite marmalade fanatic is certainly exciting news, especially given the universal acclaim that greeted the first two instalments – both of which have become firm favourites since their releases in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

But the news also creates almost as many questions as it does answers: when can we expect to see the film? What new adventures will Paddington be faced with this time? And, perhaps most importantly, who will follow in the footsteps of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in playing the villain?

Read on for everything we know so far about Paddington 3.

When will Paddington 3 be released in cinemas?

Despite the good news about the new film, an actual release date is still likely to be some way off, with no official word on when exactly we can expect to see the cuddly Peruvian bear on the big screen or when the film will enter production.

Good things come to those who wait, though and, given the craft that goes into these films, we're willing to twiddle our thumbs for a while yet as we look forward to the next sequel.

Should we hear any more information, we'll update this page as soon as possible.

What will Paddington 3 be about?

Unfortunately, plot details are rather thin on the ground at this stage but we can assume Paddington and his adoptive family will once again find themselves facing off against a wicked antagonist, presumably against a London backdrop.

At the very least, we can expect some heartwarming messages about the power of community, some scenery-chewing performances and some delightful slapstick comedy.

And when we catch wind of any more precise details, we'll let you know.

Paddington 3 cast

Although there's been no official casting news just yet, this is an area where we're willing to make a couple of assumptions.

We can be pretty sure, for example, that Ben Whishaw will give another pitch-perfect performance as the voice of Paddington, while it's extremely likely Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins will be returning as Mr and Mrs Brown.

And they probably won't be the only residents of Windsor Gardens to come back for more – Ben Miller, Peter Capaldi, Jessica Hynes, and Sanjeev Bhaskar could all return, while we also wouldn't be surprised to see Jim Broadbent once again take on the role of antique shop owner Mr Gruber.

Then there's the all-important villain, who is sure to be another A-list star to rival previous antagonists Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman. Any announcements could still be a while away, but that hasn't stopped us from putting together a list of stars who we think would make perfect Paddington 3 villains.

As for behind the camera, it looks like there might be one major change – with the director of the first two instalments, Paul King, previously saying he wouldn't return for another film.

In 2020, King told Empire Magazine "At some point, you just have to stop. It might be time for somebody else to do a twist on it. I'm trying not to do a third bear movie, which is a huge, huge mistake."

Paddington 3 trailer

We're still a while away from any trailer being made available – with production yet to start on the film – but we'll post one here as soon as it is released.

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