Paddington 2

***Paddington 2*** is a 2017 live-action talking animal comedy fantasy

movie directed by Paul King and written by King and Simon Farnaby. Based on the stories of Paddington Bear, created by Michael Bond (to whom the film is also dedicated, he having died that year), it is the sequel to *Paddington* (2014), and is produced by Heyday Films and StudioCanal UK. The film, a British-French-Luxembourgish co-production, stars Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington, with Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Hugh Grant in live-action roles. In the film, Paddington tries to get a present for his aunt's birthday, but when the gift is stolen he is wrongly arrested and imprisoned for the theft, he and his family have to find the real culprit and prove Paddington's innocence.

Principal photography began in October 2016 and ended in June 2017. The film was theatrically released on 10 November 2017 in the United Kingdom and 6 December 2017 in France, and grossed $227 million worldwide. It received widespread critical acclaim on Metacritic, and had an approval rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (and was, with 245 positive reviews, the highest-rated film on the site until a negative review was registered at 246). It has been considered one of the best films of the 2010s, for children and adults. It received three nominations at the 71st British Academy Film Awards: Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for Grant.

## Plot

Paddington, having settled with the Brown family in Windsor Gardens, has become popular in his community, offering people emotional support in various ways. To purchase a unique pop-up book of London in Samuel Gruber's antique shop for his aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, Paddington performs several odd jobs and saves his wages, but the book is stolen. Paddington gives chase, but the thief escapes, and Paddington is framed. The thief returns home and is revealed to be Phoenix Buchanan, an egotistical actor who lives near the Browns. Paddington appears in court, and although Gruber states that he does not believe that Paddington stole the book, with no evidence of the thief's existence, Paddington is convicted and sent to prison.

While in prison, Paddington befriends many of the inmates, including the short-tempered chef Knuckles, who recruits Paddington, impressed by his marmalade sandwich recipe. The Browns work to clear Paddington's name, putting up sketches of the thief. Buchanan uses the book to locate a series of clues within London's landmarks, which he believes will unveil the location of a secret treasure. During their efforts to prove Paddington's innocence, the Browns encounter a fortune teller who informs them that the book leads to the hidden fortune of the original author.

With Paddington inside, the prison is a much livelier place, but Paddington struggles to remain positive when the Browns are unable to prove his innocence, but keep hunting. Knuckles, Phibs and Spoon later tell Paddington that although the Browns mean well, they will eventually forget about him.

Becoming convinced that Buchanan is the culprit, the Browns look for the stolen book inside his house. They find a secret attic where Buchanan's various costumes are stashed, including the costume of the thief. Buchanan returns home and they are forced to leave. Meanwhile, the Browns' investigation causes them to miss visiting Paddington in prison.

Paddington, thinking that the Browns have in fact forgotten him, joins Knuckles, Phibs and Spoon in a prison break. They promise to aid in proving his innocence, but after escaping, they promptly abandon the idea in order to leave the country, inviting Paddington to join them. Paddington refuses and, while avoiding the police, uses a public telephone to contact the Browns, who assert that Buchanan is the real culprit. To catch him, they arrange to meet at Paddington Station, where a carnival train carrying the supposed location of the hidden fortune is due to leave.

Paddington reaches the station, disguising himself as a litter bin to avoid the police, and boards the train just as it leaves. The Browns pursue on a LNER Peppercorn Class A1, at the opposite platform. Buchanan finds the hidden fortune but is thwarted by Paddington who takes back the book. Henry, Judy and Mrs. Bird catch up and board the other train to confront Buchanan, who overwhelms them and escapes. He severs the coupling of the train's rear carriage (with Paddington locked inside), but is photographed by Judy while holding the book, before Henry knocks him out.

Paddington is left stranded in the rear carriage, which crashes into a nearby river. Mary tries to rescue Paddington but struggles to open the locked carriage; she is soon assisted by Knuckles and the other inmates, who had a change of heart and decide to help Paddington as promised.

Paddington becomes very ill and falls into a coma, but wakes up on Lucy's birthday. He learns that he has been exonerated, and that Buchanan has been arrested and the book with the hidden fortune on the train are being kept by authorities. He is disappointed that he cannot give Lucy the book, which was taken in as evidence, but soon discovers the Browns, with the help of various other people in the neighbourhood, made sure Lucy could come to London and see it for herself. When answering the door to her, Paddington rushes up and hugs her, wishing her a happy birthday.

During the credits, Knuckles, Phibs, and Spoon are pardoned, and Knuckles opens a sandwich business. Buchanan is sentenced to 10 years in prison; six months later, he is shown to be putting his experience as a performer to further use by hosting shows for the inmates and providing entertainment throughout the building.

## Cast

**Main cast**

* Hugh Bonneville as Henry Brown, Mary's husband and Judy and Jonathan's father
* Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown, Henry's wife and Judy and Jonathan's mother
* Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buchanan, a narcissistic actor and former star of the West End theatre, reduced to making adverts for dog food.
* Brendan Gleeson as Knuckles McGinty, the short-tempered prison cook
* Madeleine Harris as Judy Brown, Mary and Henry's daughter and Jonathan's sister
* Samuel Joslin as Jonathan Brown, Mary and Henry's son and Judy's brother
* Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird, the Browns' housekeeper
* Jim Broadbent as Samuel Gruber, an antique shop owner and a friend of the Browns
* Peter Capaldi as Mr. Curry, the Browns' busybody neighbour who despises Paddington

**Voices**

* Ben Whishaw as Paddington Brown, Lucy and Pastuzo's extremely polite adoptive bear nephew, who now lives in London
* Imelda Staunton as Aunt Lucy, Paddington's adoptive aunt
* Michael Gambon as Uncle Pastuzo, Paddington's adoptive uncle

**Supporting cast**

* Joanna Lumley as Felicity Fanshaw, Phoenix's agent
* Eileen Atkins as Madame Kozlova, the fortune teller at the fair
* Ben Miller as Colonel Lancaster
* Simon Farnaby as Barry, the security guard
* Jessica Hynes as Miss Kitts, a newsagent
* Noah Taylor as Phibs, an inmate who is a former restaurant critic
* Aaron Neil as Spoon, an inmate
* Tom Davis as T-Bone, an inmate
* Tom Conti as Judge Gerald Biggleswade, a judge who presides over Paddington's trial, having previously been a victim of a botched haircut by Paddington.
* Sanjeev Bhaskar as Dr. Jafri
* Marie-France Alvarez as Mademoiselle Dubois
* Maggie Steed as Mrs. Gertrude Biggleswade, the wife of Gerald Biggleswade
* Richard Ayoade as a Forensic Investigator
* Meera Syal as a Prosecutor
* Enzo Squillino Jr. as Mr Giuseppe, a barber who initially employs Paddington, before firing him for botching a haircut
* Jamie Demetriou as The Professor, an inmate

## Release

*Paddington 2* had its world premiere in London on 5 November 2017, and was theatrically released in the United Kingdom on 10 November. It was released on 6 December in France, 7 December in Germany, 21 December in Australia and New Zealand, and 12 January 2018 in the United States. StudioCanal distributed the film in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

### Home media

*Paddington 2* was released on streaming platform Amazon Video on 5 March 2018. The film was released in the United Kingdom on Blu-ray, DVD & 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on 12 March 2018. The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States on 24 April 2018 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.