The live-action Paddington films continue to charm the world with their irresistibly sweet, innocent entertainment, and heart-felt messages. Paul King has directed the two films so far. But with the news that Paddington 3 is now being developed, it looks like King won’t be returning to that role. However, that doesn’t mean he’s out of the picture entirely.
In other King news, the Willy Wonka project he is attached to direct has been confirmed to be a prequel. More on these reports, below.
In an interview with Collider, producer David Heyman says Paddington 3 is in the works. However, they don’t have a script yet, and King won’t be directing. Although, if they do get the greenlight, King would be involved in some sort of capacity. Here’s what he told the site:
“I don’t think Paul King will direct the third. He did the first two””he and I are working on another project together”¦ He’s very special, Paul. We’re developing a third Paddington. We haven’t got a script yet, we’ve got a treatment which we’re still working on.
Paul is involved in it, I wanted him to be involved in it because I think he’s such a significant voice, but I don’t think he’ll direct it. He worked on the idea”¦ he comes up with the idea with Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton and then they develop it and come back for more, back and forth, and then it’ll get written and Paul will come in and stir it up a little bit. But he’s an incredible collaborator, Paul. Very positive, very supportive.”
Now King’s inability to direct the third could be due to the fact that he has commitments to Disney’s live-action Pinocchio and the Willy Wonka project, although he is not formally attached to the latter. That being said, the two are working together on the project, so it seems very likely they would like to work together again. Even if it is for a project like a Willy Wonka prequel:
“We are still trying to figure out how to tell that story, what the story is. It’s a prequel, it’s not a sequel. What makes Willy””when we find him at the chocolate factory doing the golden ticket, where is he before that? What leads him to that place where he’s locked himself away?”¦ It’s how does he get there? So we’re playing around with that.”
One thing is for sure, they won’t make a Paddington 3 just for the sake of making a Paddington 3. Heyman assures fans that they want to make it under the right circumstances:
“I hope we get to make it. It’s really fun, it’s a fun idea. I don’t know yet. I don’t want to do it if I don’t think it’s gonna be good.”
At least they want to close off the trilogy on a high note rather and just phone it in. Of course, we won’t know what it is about, and even if we did, it looks like it will be missing a key piece of what has made them so great. So if Paddington 3 does happen, let’s hope it can match the same sweetness that King has been able to capture in the past two films.
[Source: Collider (Paddington 3) | Collider (Willy Wonka)]
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