The Paddington franchise has generally been very successful, but the recently released Paddington in Peru continued a worrying trend that has me concerned for the next movie in the series. When the first Paddington movie was released in 2014, it would have been hard to predict that a film based on a children’s book character would lead to such a major cinematic franchise. However, that is exactly what has happened, and all three Paddington films have been received incredibly well by audiences and critics.
Even though many regard the recently released third movie as the worst film in the series, reviews for Paddington in Peru have still been incredible, with Screen Rant’s own Simon Gallagher giving the film a score of 8 out of 10. Before the release of the third film, it was revealed that Paddington 4 is in development. This means that the adventures of Paddington and the Brown family will continue beyond the ending of Paddington in Peru. While this is great news, the franchise’s unfortunate box office trend has me worried for Paddington 4.
After Paddington In Peru, Every Paddington Movie Has Made Less Than Its Predecessor
Paddington In Peru Made Significantly Less Than The First Two Movies
Even though Paddington has become a much more popular character in recent years because of the movies, all the films in the franchise have made less than their predecessors. The first Paddington movie got the franchise off to a good start by making $326 million, then Paddington 2 made a respectable $290 million. Even though Paddington 2 made less than the first film, there isn’t a noticeable gap in the box office hauls and the sequel was still applauded by fans and critics. However, as seen in the table below, Paddington in Peru made much less than the second film.
|
Paddington Movies |
Worldwide Box Office |
RT Critics Score |
RT Audience Score |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Paddington (2014) |
$326,088,587 |
96% |
80% |
|
Paddington 2 (2017) |
$290,132,513 |
99% |
89% |
|
Paddington in Peru (2024) |
$162,601,891 |
93% |
91% |
While Paddington in Peru was not a box office flop by any means, its $162 million haul is significantly less than the previous two movies. Paddington in Peru makes it clear that the franchise has been trending downwards at the box office ever since the release of the first movie. This concerning trend suggests that the upcoming Paddington 4 will make less than Paddington in Peru at the box office, which would not be ideal.
Why The Paddington Movies Are Declining At The Box Office
There Was A Long Gap Between Paddington 2 & 3
The quality of the movies is definitely not why the Paddington franchise is declining at the box office. After all, Paddington 2 received overwhelming praise and was actually the highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes for years. As seen in the above table, the Paddington films all have amazing critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, which suggests that the upcoming fourth film will also be highly rated. However, it is clear that there has been some drop in interest since the release of the first movie.
Paddington in Peru had to find a new director and even had to replace Sally Hawkins, who played Mary Brown in the first two movies.
While there was only a three-year gap between the first and second film, Paddington in Peru was stuck in development hell for many years. Paddington in Peru had to find a new director and even had to replace Sally Hawkins, who played Mary Brown in the first two movies. Because of these significant changes, there was a seven-year gap between Paddington 2 and Paddington in Peru. This long gap is probably why the third film made significantly less money, as a lot of people likely lost interest in the franchise while waiting for the third movie.
Paddington 4 Looks Like A Bigger Risk Thanks To The Paddington Franchise’s Box Office Decline
Paddington 4 Might Make Less Than Paddington In Peru
It is amazing that StudioCanal had the confidence to confirm Paddington 4 before the release of Paddington in Peru. However, after the third film’s underwhelming performance at the box office, Paddington 4 now seems like a bigger risk. This is especially the case since the Paddington films aren’t necessarily cheap to make. The first Paddington movie had a budget of $65 million, whereas the second film had a lower budget of $40 million. However, Paddington in Peru cost $90 million to make, making it the most expensive movie in the series.
It makes sense that Paddington in Peru had the highest budget in the series, since it is set in the jungles of Peru, rather than in London. However, the third movie’s box office means that Paddington 4 may have to have a lower budget. The plot of Paddington 4 is not currently known, but it’s likely that it will be set primarily in London, just like the first two movies. Even though Paddington in Peru continued a disappointing box office trend, hopefully excitement for the fourth film builds over the next few years and it can finally break this streak.
Sources: Box Office Mojo (Paddington, Paddington 2, Paddington in Peru)
Paddington
- Created by
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Michael Bond, Paul King
- First Film
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Paddington
- Latest Film
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Paddington 2
- Upcoming Films
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Paddington in Peru
- First TV Show
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Paddington Bear
Summary
The Paddington franchise is a beloved film and television series based on the character Paddington Bear, created by British author Michael Bond. The franchise began with the 2014 film Paddington, which follows the adventures of a polite Peruvian bear who finds a home with the Brown family in London. The series is known for its heartwarming storytelling, charming humor, and its themes of kindness, family, and adventure. The success of the films has led to sequels, a television series, and an upcoming third film, making Paddington a staple of modern family entertainment.
