Paddington in Peru: Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas & more in talks to join the cast

Paddington in Peru is due to start shooting next month and Variety has the scoop on a handful of fantastic actors in talks to join the cast of the movie.

Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, Rachel Zegler, and Emily Mortimer are in talks to join the cast of Paddington in Peru. The third installment of the beloved franchise will find Paddington “returning to Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. Paddington and the Brown Family embark on an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.” Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin are all returning for the sequel, as well as Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton as the voices of Paddington and Aunt Lucy, respectively.

You might notice that Sally Hawkins wasn’t included among the rest of returning cast members. She will be sitting this one out and will be replaced by Emily Mortimer as Mrs. Brown. “For me it has felt the right time to hand the reins over to another, and one can’t get much better than the truly wonderful Emily Mortimer, she is extraordinarily special,” Hawkins said in a statement. “She will embody the essence of Mary Brown and yet make it utterly her own.  However, I am, and will always be in love with Paddington’s world. I already greatly miss my on and off-screen family — the experience of making the first two films has truly been some of the best and most creative times I have had in the world of film. They both gave me so much joy. I will forever hold them so very close to my heart indeed.“

Olivia Colman will play the reverend mother, “a blithe and sunny guitar-playing nun who runs the home for retired bears.” Antonio Banderas will play Hunter Cabot, “a dashing and intrepid riverboat captain who offers to help the Brown family on their Peruvian adventure.” Rachel Zegler will play Cabot’s daughter, Gina.

Paul King, who helmed the first two Paddington movies, won’t be back for Paddington in Peru. Dougal Wilson will be making his feature directorial debut with the sequel. “I am absolutely delighted to be working with such a wonderful cast on the next installment of the ‘Paddington’ story. I was already an enormous fan of our returning actors, but for them to be joined by Olivia, Antonio, Emily and Rachel is beyond thrilling,” said Wilson.