I adore every Paddington film, but it’s time to admit that the franchise has to conclude with Paddington 4 following the release of Paddington in Peru. These movies are packed with charm and whimsy, and the third Paddington film is certainly no exception. One of the key factors in the widespread acclaim for this franchise is the immensely likable characters, as well as the excellent casting choices for Paddington’s villains. Everything just feels right when it comes to Paddington, which isn’t easy to replicate.

For a long period, Paddington 2 maintained a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. That being said, the renowned sequel did not reach the same levels as its predecessor at the box office. The next installment, Paddington in Peru, faced numerous delays and cast changes. It was later announced that Paul King would not return to the franchise, and director Dougal Wilson took over the project. Despite these obstacles, Paddington in Peru surpᴀssed my expectations and delivered the perfect setup for one last film in the Paddington franchise.

Paddington 4 Should Conclude The Franchise Before It Overextends Itself

The Natural Progression Of The Franchise’s Storyline Is Drawing Paddington To A Close

Besides Paddington Bear, Aunt Lucy and the Brown siblings are the heart of the Paddington movies. Aunt Lucy, Judy, and Jonathan Brown are the complete manifestation of family values and embody the feeling of belonging. Throughout Paddington‘s three films, audiences have watched the Brown siblings transform into sprightly teenagers while Aunt Lucy has aged considerably. By the time the fourth film takes place, the Brown siblings will be young adults, and Paddington’s beloved carer will be far older and weaker.

Understandably, it is difficult to envision a future for the franchise that extends beyond these characters, seeing as the collective group is the most important dynamic to the films. Mrs. Brown places a strong focus on this particular thought in Paddington in Peru, where the driving force behind the family’s adventure to Aunt Lucy in Peru was because of her children growing up and ultimately becoming disconnected from reality. With this in mind, concluding the franchise on a high note would be wiser than risking a drop in standard — which would ultimately preserve the Paddington franchise’s gleaming reputation.

Ben Whishaw Has Expressed Uncertainty About Paddington’s Future

The Voice Of Paddington Has Revealed Paddington’s Future Is Not A Sure Thing

Whishaw shared an honest response to Paddington’s future during an interview with The New York Times. The actor himself believes it’s often better to end a story on a positive note before the formula quickly becomes stale. Paddington‘s voice actor revealed, “I’m always of the opinion that it’s best to leave people wanting more,” before he admits that he is unsure whether the franchise will continue beyond Paddington 4‘s confirmation. This is an incredibly refreshing take for the industry, and Whishaw’s rather cautious perspective clearly merits artistic value over output and the amount of content from the studio.

There is a notable trend in Hollywood of late where studios are favoring sequels and gradually shifting towards a focus on maintaining franchises rather than developing original content. It is not unheard of for a franchise’s succeeding films to not quite match the quality of the originals, with plenty of examples to look at across all genres. Hopefully, Paddington will end on a high note, and given where Paddington in Peru took us, one final movie may be all we need before wrapping up the franchise.

Source: The New York Times