Pack the freshest Marmalade sandwich you can find! Paddington bear is headed to television by way of StudioCanal and Nickelodeon. And best of all? Ben Whishaw is back in the voice booth.
Per Deadline, it’s understood this CG-animated series will follow the adventures of a younger Paddington bear in Peru – long before he was shipped off to the Big Smoke. Having been involved in StudioCanal’s feature films, Harry Potter producer David Heyman is also attached to the pre-schooler TV show, which is now beginning to make serious headway in production.
Adapted from Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear stories – ditto for those live-action movies – this animated series is in development from director Adam Shaw (Go Jetters), with Jon Foster and James Lamont (Paddington, Paddington 2) on script duties.
Here’s a little taste of what’s to come:
The show will see the bear writing to Aunt Lucy from Windsor Gardens. Each episode will open and close with Paddington’s letters as he tells Aunt Lucy what he has learned about life through the day’s new adventure.
A late 2019 premiere date is said to be on the cards for Paddington, and there’s a real feeling that StudioCanal is getting the gang back together, what with David Heyman, Ben Whishaw and screenwriters Jon Foster and James Lamont all involved. Let’s just hope this franchise expansion can do good on its tantalizing potential.
Whatever the case, this project seemingly won’t affect the development of Paddington 3, after StudioCanal committed to a second sequel to their 2014 animated gem three years ago. Then again, there’s been nary a mention of the mooted threequel in quite some time, so news of this CG-animated series is a welcome tonic to fill the bear-shaped void.
More on Paddington‘s TV escapades as time wears on.