In 2022, Paddington Bear enjoyed tea with Queen Elizabeth II for a sketch celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. Naturally, the charming short film quickly went viral and did so again later that year, following the Queen's death in September. In fact, for many people the sketch took on new meaning, with thousands sharing a drawing of the Queen holding Paddington's hand to pay tribute to her.
The sensation was such that director Dougal Wilson knew he had to reference it in the new film Paddington in Peru, a third sequel in which our beloved bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw as always) searches for his missing Aunt Lucy. (Imelda Staunton) in the Amazon rainforest.
Before Paddington sets off on his adventure, we see him writing a letter to Aunt Lucy, with a photo of his time with the Queen sitting proudly at her desk. It's only seen briefly, but as Wilson explains in an interview with GamesRadar+, it's a loving gesture that not only pays tribute to the late monarch, but is something fans of the sketch can enjoy as well.
As he tells us: “I wasn't actually involved in the production of that film, as it was happening while I was pre-producing this one, but it seemed to go down quite well with the public. Then, unfortunately, the Queen passed away and people seemed to have a lot of affection for it.” because of that clip, so we thought it would be appropriate for Paddington to have a little still image in his room of the moment he had tea with the Queen. That's why we staged it.
Wilson then also reveals that they had to get permission from Buckingham Palace to include the photo, but the Royal Family were happy to do so: “Yes, we had to ask for permission, but they were more than happy to give it to us.”
In the third film, Paddington also receives his own passport, which he uses to travel to Peru with the Brown family. But what you may not realize is that the passport is actually very real: the UK government issued the bear an official document, which was brought to the set.
The unexpected surprise certainly amused director Wilson, who pointed out to GamesRadar+ some of his favorite passport details. He reveals: “I think under special remarks it says 'bear'! And then for his date of birth, we actually put the date Michael Bond [the creator of Paddington] published his first Paddington book.”
Wilson adds that receiving the passport was a wonderful gesture, although he's not quite sure how Paddington got away with such an “unorthodox” photo: “It was a lovely, authentic thing to see, the genuine document with the genuine bear inside.” “Although his photography is a little unorthodox… I'm surprised he allowed himself to be honest!”
Paddington in Peru opens in UK cinemas on November 8 before heading to the US next year, where it will hit cinemas on January 17.
For more information, check out our guide to upcoming movies to put on your watchlist.