Paddington Bear, beloved by fans around the globe, has officially received a British passport! This quirky milestone was revealed by producer Rob Silva, who shared that the UK’s Home Office granted the document after the movie crew requested it for the upcoming film, Paddington in Peru.
Silva noted, “We asked for a replica, and to our surprise, they provided Paddington with an official passport – there’s only one of these!” He humorously added that the Home Office simply referred to him as ‘Bear’ in the official documents.
The passport features a playful photo of Paddington with his face up against the lens and his tongue sticking out. It identifies him as Paddington Brown, hailing from Peru with a birth date of June 25.
The film, which continues the heartwarming adventures of Paddington, features the voice of Ben Whishaw along with talents like Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Olivia Colman, and Antonio Banderas.
In this installment, Paddington, with his adoptive family, the Browns, sets off to Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy at a retirement home for bears. However, their journey takes a twist when they discover she’s gone missing, leading them deep into the Amazon rainforest.
Although Paddington’s passport is an official sight, Whishaw explained that it wasn’t needed during filming. He recorded all his voice work in a London studio, without ever meeting co-stars like Banderas or Colman. “I would’ve loved to visit Peru, but I spent my time in a Soho basement,” he shared.
Whishaw also mentioned that Paddington’s voice is quite similar to his own, just slightly different. The film is directed by Dougal Wilson, who confessed to feeling nervous about taking on the legacy of previous films, especially with Paddington 2 being labeled one of the “greatest films of all time.”
Despite Paddington’s new passport, the Home Office clarified that it’s merely a specimen and cannot be used for travel. The charming character was created by British author Michael Bond, debuting in the 1958 classic A Bear Called Paddington, chronicling his adventures from Peru to London.
Paddington in Peru is slated for release in the United States on January 17, 2025.