Paddington 2 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paddington 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Paul King
Produced by	David Heyman
Written by	Paul King Simon Farnaby
Starring	Hugh Bonneville Sally Hawkins Brendan Gleeson Julie Walters Jim Broadbent Peter Capaldi Hugh Grant Ben Whishaw
Music by	Dario Marianelli
Cinematography	Erik Wilson
Editing by	Jonathan Amos Mark Everson
Studio	Heyday Films StudioCanal UK
Distributed by	StudioCanal
Release date(s)	5 November 2017 (2017-11-05) (London) 10 November 2017 (2017-11-10) (United Kingdom) 6 December 2017 (2017-12-06) (France)
Running time	104 minutes
Country	United Kingdom France
Language	English
Budget	$40 million
Money made	$228 million

Paddington 2 is a super fun movie from 2017. It's a funny story directed by Paul King and written by him and Simon Farnaby. The movie is based on the beloved Paddington Bear stories by Michael Bond. It's the sequel to the first Paddington movie from 2014. This film was made by Heyday Films and StudioCanal UK. It's a joint movie project between Britain and France.

In the movie, Ben Whishaw is the voice of Paddington. The live-action actors include Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Hugh Grant. The story follows Paddington as he tries to find a special gift for his Aunt Lucy's birthday. But when the gift is stolen, Paddington is wrongly accused and sent to prison. Now, his family must work hard to find the real thief and prove Paddington is innocent.

Filming for Paddington 2 started in October 2016 and finished in June 2017. The movie first came out in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2017. It earned about $227 million around the world. Critics loved the movie! It got amazing reviews on websites like Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, it has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the highest-rated films there. The movie also received three nominations at the 71st British Academy Film Awards, including Best British Film.

The Story of Paddington 2

Paddington's New Life

Paddington is living happily with the Brown family in Windsor Gardens. He's become a very popular member of the community. He often helps his neighbors with small acts of kindness.

The Perfect Gift and a Big Problem

Paddington wants to buy a special pop-up book of London for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday. He finds it in Samuel Gruber's antique shop. To earn money for the book, Paddington takes on different odd jobs. But before he can buy it, the book is stolen! Paddington tries to catch the thief, but the person gets away. Sadly, Paddington is blamed for the theft.

A Famous Thief

The thief turns out to be Phoenix Buchanan, a very self-centered actor who lives near the Brown family. Paddington goes to court, and even though Mr. Gruber doesn't believe Paddington stole the book, there's no proof of the real thief. So, Paddington is found guilty and sent to prison.

Life in Prison

In prison, Paddington makes friends with many of the other inmates. One of them is Knuckles, the tough chef. Knuckles is impressed by Paddington's delicious marmalade sandwich recipe. Meanwhile, the Brown family works hard to clear Paddington's name. They put up drawings of the thief to help find him.

The Mystery of the Book

Buchanan, the real thief, uses the pop-up book to find clues hidden in famous London landmarks. He believes these clues will lead him to a secret treasure. The Browns meet a fortune teller who tells them that the book holds the key to a hidden fortune left by its original author.

Hope and Doubt

With Paddington inside, the prison becomes a much happier place. But Paddington starts to feel sad when the Browns can't prove his innocence, even though they keep trying. Knuckles and his friends tell Paddington that the Browns might eventually forget about him.

Finding the Truth

The Browns become sure that Buchanan is the thief. They search his house and find a secret room filled with his costumes, including the thief's disguise. Buchanan returns home, and the Browns have to leave quickly. Because of their investigation, they miss visiting Paddington in prison.

The Prison Break

Paddington thinks the Browns have forgotten him. So, he joins Knuckles and his friends in a prison escape. They promise to help prove his innocence. But after they escape, they decide to leave the country instead. Paddington refuses to go with them. He calls the Browns, who tell him Buchanan is the real culprit. They arrange to meet at Paddington Station. A special carnival train, supposedly holding the hidden fortune, is about to leave.

The Chase and the Rescue

Paddington arrives at the station, hiding in a litter bin to avoid the police. He gets on the train just as it leaves. The Browns chase after him on another train. Henry, Judy, and Mrs. Bird get onto Buchanan's train and confront him. Buchanan fights them off and cuts the last carriage, where Paddington is trapped. Judy takes a picture of Buchanan holding the book before Henry knocks him out.

The carriage with Paddington crashes into a river. Mary tries to save Paddington but can't open the locked carriage. Luckily, Knuckles and the other inmates, who had a change of heart, arrive and help rescue Paddington.

A Happy Ending

Paddington becomes very ill and falls into a coma. But he wakes up on Aunt Lucy's birthday! He learns that he has been cleared of all charges, and Buchanan has been arrested. Paddington is sad he can't give Lucy the book, as it's being used as evidence. But then he discovers the Browns, with help from their neighbors, arranged for Aunt Lucy to come to London and see the city for herself. Paddington rushes to hug her, wishing her a happy birthday.

During the credits, Knuckles and his friends are pardoned. Knuckles opens his own sandwich business. Buchanan is sentenced to 10 years in prison. Six months later, he's shown using his acting skills to entertain the other inmates.

Main Characters

• Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown, the father of the Brown family.
• Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown, the mother of the Brown family.
• Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buchanan, a very self-centered actor who used to be famous.
• Brendan Gleeson as Knuckles McGinty, the tough but kind prison chef.
• Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown, the Browns' daughter.
• Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown, the Browns' son.
• Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird, the Browns' helpful housekeeper.
• Jim Broadbent as Samuel Gruber, the friendly antique shop owner.
• Peter Capaldi as Mr. Curry, the Browns' nosy neighbor who doesn't like Paddington.

Voices You'll Hear

• Ben Whishaw as Paddington Brown, the polite bear who lives with the Browns.
• Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy, Paddington's loving adoptive aunt.
• Michael Gambon as Uncle Pastuzo, Paddington's adoptive uncle.

How the Movie Was Made

Getting Started

In April 2015, David Heyman, who produced the first Paddington movie, said that a sequel was being planned. It was also announced that Paul King would return to direct and help write the story with Simon Farnaby. Heyman's company, Heyday Films, and StudioCanal worked together to make the film. It was a joint project between Britain and France. By October 2016, most of the original cast, including Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, and Ben Whishaw, were confirmed to be returning. Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson also joined the cast.

Filming Locations

Filming officially began on October 18, 2016. Many indoor scenes were shot at Pinewood Studios and Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. But the filmmakers also shot in famous London places like Tower Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral. The team wanted locations that showed off London's beauty and gave the movie a grand feel.

Framestore created the amazing visual effects for the film, including the detailed pop-up book scenes. Filming also took place in London's Little Venice, at Shepton Mallet Prison, and at Knebworth Park. Filming finished on June 27, 2017. Sadly, Michael Bond, the creator of Paddington Bear, passed away on the same day. The movie was dedicated to him.

Movie Music

The music for Paddington 2 was composed by Dario Marianelli. Here is a list of the songs from the movie's soundtrack:

Another song in the film, not on the soundtrack, is "Rain on the Roof." Hugh Grant sings it during the end credits. It's from a musical called Follies by Stephen Sondheim.

Movie Release

Paddington 2 first premiered in London on November 5, 2017. It was then released in cinemas across the United Kingdom on November 10. Later, it came out in France on December 6, Germany on December 7, and Australia and New Zealand on December 21. The movie arrived in the United States on January 12, 2018. StudioCanal helped distribute the film in many countries.

How the Movie Was Advertised

To promote the film, five large pop-up book displays, just like the one in the movie, were placed around London starting October 9, 2017. You could find them at places like Peter's Hill, Tower Bridge, Paddington Station, Peninsula Square, and Bankside. This event was supported by Visit London. Actor Hugh Bonneville and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, attended the launch.

On October 16, 2017, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales attended a special charity event for Paddington 2 at Paddington Station. Some of the movie's cast and crew were also there. A video game based on the film, called Paddington Run, was released on phones and tablets on October 25, 2017.

Paddington also appeared in the 2017 Marks & Spencer Christmas advertisement. A short preview was released on November 4, 2017, and the full advertisement came out on November 7. Ben Whishaw voiced Paddington in the ad.

Watching at Home

Paddington 2 became available to stream on Amazon Video on March 5, 2018. In the United Kingdom, you could buy the movie on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray starting March 12, 2018. In the United States, the film was released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 24, 2018, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Awards and Recognition

Paddington 2 received many awards and nominations for its amazing story, acting, and visual effects. It was recognized by film critics and organizations around the world. For example, it won the Truly Moving Picture Award at the Heartland Film Festival. Hugh Grant won Best Supporting Actor at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards. The movie also won the Peter Sellers Award for Comedy at the Evening Standard British Film Awards. It was nominated for several British Academy Film Awards, including Best British Film. The film also won the Best Kids and Family Movie award at the Golden Tomato Awards.

What's Next?

There's good news for Paddington fans! In June 2016, the CEO of StudioCanal said they planned to make a third Paddington movie. In November 2017, producer David Heyman mentioned that they were already thinking about ideas and scenes for the next film. In November 2018, Heyman confirmed that a third movie was likely. While Paul King might not direct the third film, he would still be involved in a creative role. In February 2021, Paddington 3 officially began being developed.

See also

In Spanish: Paddington 2 para niños