'Paddington 4' adds 'In The Loops' writer and teases a major return but key details remain missing
Paddington Bear is all set to embark on his next adventure! A recent Variety report has confirmed that the 'Paddington' franchise will soon get a fourth film. According to the report, Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning Scottish writer Armando Iannucci is penning the screenplay for the upcoming movie featuring everyone's favorite furry Peruvian expat with four paws. Iannucci is an acclaimed writer known for his contributions to popular satirical shows such as 'The Thick of It' and 'Veep.' The next installment is poised to be the fourth entry in the franchise owned by Studiocanal.
Iannucci will be joined by his long-time collaborator and fellow Emmy-award-winning and Oscar-nominated co-writer Simon Blackwell. On the other hand, award-winning music video and commercial director Dougal Wilson is reportedly in talks to helm the upcoming 'Paddington' movie. Dougal Wilson made his feature directorial debut in the franchise, 'Paddington in Peru,' last year. The first 'Paddington' movie debuted in 2014, followed by the theatrical release of 'Paddington 2' in 2017. As of this writing, the hugely popular franchise has grossed more than $800 million worldwide. The first two movies in the franchise were directed by Paul King, who also wrote the first installment and co-wrote the second with Simon Farnaby. The third movie was written by James Lamont, Mark Burton, and Jon Foster.
The fourth 'Paddington' movie was announced at CinemaCon in early 2026. Canal+ Chief Content Officer and StudioCanal CEO Anna Marsha had revealed that the fourth film was in the pipeline. However, she didn't drop any other significant details, except the fact that world-renowned comedy writers were on board with the project. Paddington, created by Michael Bond, was given a VFX-laden live-action treatment for the first time by producer Rosie Alison. It is worth noting that Alison is also producing the upcoming installment under her banner, Heyday Films. While the first two movies in the franchise surpassed all expectations and became major critical and commercial successes, 'Paddington in Peru' received mixed reviews. Despite grossing $211 million at the box office, the film received a mixed critical response and failed to match the success of the first two movies.
The addition of Iannucci could help strengthen the franchise creatively following the mixed reception to Paddington in Peru. The scribe formerly created the famous television character Alan Partridge. His other notable achievements include creating HBO's 'Avenue 5' and working on the show 'The Day Today.' He also co-wrote and directed the movies 'The Death of Stalin' and 'In the Loop.' The latter was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2010 Oscars.
