It’s been reported by the BBC that Paddington, the marmalade loving bear, will make his big screen debut in Christmas 2014.
The character created by Michael Bond and published in a series of children’s books will be voiced by Colin Firth, actor of the film The King’s Speech. He will be a CGI creation with Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Bonneville playing live-action roles.
In the original books, Paddington is a bear from darkest Peru who was named after the train station where he was found by the Brown Family.
Firth has said he will play Paddington with “a slight Peruvian flavour.”
The film will be made by Harry Potter producer David Heyman and director Paul King, who was involved with such British comedy series as Come Fly With Me and The Mighty Boosh.
Unlike the last outing under Cinar’s banner as an animated project, the only thing looking animated in this film will be Paddington himself. Motion capture technology will be used to give life to Paddington from the actor meant to portray him.
Firth told the Daily Mail “the idea is that Paddington will have something of me in his DNA because I’m going to do some sessions wearing one of those helmets with cameras to capture my face muscles, and all that data will somehow be incorporated into Paddington.”
Other actors set to play roles in the upcoming film will be Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins as Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Julie Walters as housekeeper Mrs. Bird and Nicole Kidman will portray a as of yet unnamed villain.
