The last time cinema screens were graced by a talking bear that lived among humans it was Mark Wahlberg’s sweary American chum, Ted. British institution Paddington is a wildly different, much more family-friendly affair.
The movie takes viewers back to the origins of author Michael Bond’s 56-year-old creation, following the comic misadventures of an anglophile bear from darkest Peru who arrives in England at Paddington Station with a tag around his neck which reads ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you’.
He’s taken in by the Brown family and get to grips with life among the humans while avoiding an evil taxidermist pursuing him with a plan to stuff him and putting him on display in a museum.
Blackheath-born star Hugh Bonneville, who plays Mr Brown, told the crowd assembled in the rain at the World premiere at Leicester Square that he was convinced families would love the movie.
Hugh Bonneville with co-stars Sam Joslin, Sally Hawkins and Madeleine Harris
He said: “I saw it for the first time a week ago with children of five and people of 75. They all reacted in the same way – they loved it.
“It’s funny and touching and I can’t wait to see it again.”
A large part of the attraction is the cuddly central character, voiced by Ben Whishaw.
Hugh said: “I think you will find a young soul who is full of spirit, marmalade and full of adventure. It’s a story about a stranger in a strange country looking for a home.”
Paddington boasts a stellar cast, bursting with awards and nominations.
As well as BAFTA, Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated Hugh Bonneville, the line-up includes Nicole Kidman, Blackheath-raised Sally Hawkins, Crayford’s Michael Gambon, Julie Walters, Peter Capaldi and Jim Broadbent.
Between them, they have four Oscar wins, a further four nominations and a whopping 16 BAFTAs with another 23 nominations.
Nicole Kidman plays sinister taxidermist Millicent
Producer David Heyman, the man also responsible for bringing the Harry Potter series to the big screen, said the actors jumped at the chance to be involved in the film of such a beloved series of books.
He said: “Paddington was a big, big attraction. So many of the cast have grown up with Paddington, I know I have.
“My mum gave me one when I was four. She brought it out again when I said I was working on the film.”
There was one Oscar winner who isn’t in the film who created quite a lot of attention. Colin Firth was the original voice of the loveable bear but it didn’t work out.
David said: “The change of voice – it has been lovely to see reviews and hear people respond to this and love Ben.
“It was the right thing to do.
“Colin was the first choice. He was fantastic but his voice has those chocolatey tones and when you married those chocolatey tones to our bear, it just didn’t feel right.”
Of course, if the film goes down as well as expected, there is likely to be a demand for a follow-up.
Refreshingly, David Heyman doesn’t see Paddington as a franchise – though that doesn’t rule out a sequel.
He said: “It’s a much used term and I think that’s wrong and I don’t ever approach anything in that way.
“You want a good film. If you make one good film, the rest will follow.
“The only chance I have of a sequel is making a good first film, that’s what I try to do.”
Paddington (PG) is out November 28.
WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW:
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