Paddington 4 has received a disappointing update from producer Rosie Alison.
The beloved bear franchise hit the big screen in 2014 and achieved huge success with its 2017 sequel Paddington 2.
The third instalment, Paddington in Peru, was released in the UK and Ireland in November 2024, and quickly surpassed its predecessors with the most successful opening weekend in the franchise.
However, despite Paddington 3's record-breaking debut, the possibility of a fourth movie is still yet to be decided.
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Back in September, a Studiocanal executive said that a fourth Paddington film was already in the works to tie in with the bear's 70th anniversary. But producer Alison has called this announcement "premature".
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According to Alison, Paddington's future will depend on the third instalment's reception at the global box office. The movie is scheduled for release throughout January and February in Australia, the US and most of Europe.
"We have to wait and see how this one performs in the rest of the world and the States, as we hope it will," Alison told Screen Daily. "We will see how things look by Easter. But hopefully. There's a very clear hint of what might happen next at the end of this film."
She added: "Obviously I love the first two films, but I feel very protective about the third film – mindful that we were going to be up against it if everybody was saying 'It's not as good as Paddington 2', but feeling that it does have its own qualities and that it was worth doing."
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Elsewhere in the interview, Alison explained her affection for the Paddington franchise and important message in the third movie.
"One of the things that I've really enjoyed working through the films and on the character is trying to figure out, which are the bits of Paddington that really shine out? They are stories about being lost and found, being separated and reunited.
"He is the quintessential immigrant story and it felt natural that the heart caught between two homes had to form part of the third film – and that [at the end] he gets to make his own choice."
Paddington in Peru is in cinemas now.
Read more Paddington news on our dedicated homepage
Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a "telly addict" since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.
