In Paddington in Peru, the Browns join Paddington on a wild Amazonian trek to find Aunt Lucy—mixing heart, humor, and a hint of hidden treasure.

There is a post-credit scene.

When Paddington (Ben Whishaw) receives word that his beloved Aunt Lucy has been acting strangely at the Home for Retired Bears, he sets off for Peru with the entire Brown family—Henry (Hugh Bonneville) and Mary Brown (Emily Mortimer), their children Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), and the ever-resourceful Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters). But upon their arrival, they learn that Aunt Lucy has gone missing in the jungle. A map found in her cabin points to a mysterious place called Rumi Rock, and while Mrs. Bird and the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) stay behind, the Browns hire a boat from a river captain named Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous) to begin their search.

As the group travels deeper into the Amazon, they discover that Hunter has his own motives—he believes Paddington’s bracelet is a key to the lost city of El Dorado, and he’s willing to risk everything to find it. After a shipwreck separates Paddington from the others, he and Hunter journey onward to Rumi Rock, while the Browns regroup with Gina and uncover surprising truths about both Hunter and the Reverend Mother. What follows is a race through the jungle involving secret identities, ancient secrets, and a heartfelt reunion.

The final discovery in Paddington in Peru reveals that El Dorado isn’t made of gold, but is instead an orangery where Paddington was born—and where Aunt Lucy had hoped he’d return. In the end, Paddington chooses to go back to London with his family, while old obsessions are let go, villains face fitting fates, and the El Dorado bears visit Paddington in London and get named after London tube stops.

I didn’t expect to see Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant, credited as Phoenix Buchanan) again—you just have to wait until after the credits for his appearance. But sure enough, Paddington in Peru finds room for the thespian-turned-criminal. Had Paddington’s newly discovered bear family not traveled to London, there wouldn’t have been space for the cameo. Then again, it’s the most Paddington thing imaginable to visit Phoenix and forgive him. Naturally, he’s on the verge of being released and already plotting his return to the stage—with Paddington’s extended bear family as his co-stars, of course.

I wanted to enjoy Paddington in Peru more than I did. After all, the first two films set a high bar, especially Paddington 2. My mixed feelings about the film have nothing to do with Paul King stepping back from the director’s chair—he hands things off to Dougal Wilson, making his feature directorial debut. If anything impacted my viewing experience, it was the usual struggle of watching a film at home rather than in a theater. A local heat wave didn’t help matters either, putting a damper on both productivity and concentration.

I’m a fan of editor Úna Ní Dhonghaíle’s work on Belfast and Young Woman and the Sea, so learning she was cutting Paddington in Peru only raised my expectations. Unfortunately, the press screening was held on Shabbos, and between a tight budget and the crunch of Emmy Phase 1 interviews, I wasn’t able to watch the film until after nomination voting had closed—well after it hit Netflix in mid-May.

The U.S. release came a few months after Paddington in Peru debuted in the U.K. It would’ve been nice to see a more synchronized rollout, especially for fans eager to avoid spoilers. That said, the delay was unlikely to hurt the film’s awards chances. Even with a February 2025 release, this was never going to be a serious Oscar contender—and that’s perfectly okay.

After seeing Sally Hawkins portray Mrs. Brown so warmly in the first two films, it’s admittedly a little jarring to see the role recast with Emily Mortimer. That’s not to say Mortimer lacks chemistry with the rest of the Brown family—she steps in gracefully—but the change is noticeable. To my knowledge, it’s the only major piece of recasting in Paddington in Peru. Hawkins, for her part, said in a June 2023 statement that it simply felt like the right time to pass the reins.

Paddington in Peru offers a gentle, Amazonian adventure that continues the franchise’s celebration of kindness, family, and belonging—even if it doesn’t quite reach the emotional or comedic heights of its predecessors. With a fourth film and a new TV series expected to arrive by Paddington’s 70th anniversary in 2028, there’s still plenty of marmalade-sweet magic left in the tank.

DIRECTOR: Dougal Wilson
SCREENWRITERS: Mark Burton and Jon Foster & James Lamont
CAST: Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Carla Tous, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, with Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas, and Ben Whishaw

Sony released Paddington in Peru in theaters on February 14, 2025. Grade: 3.5/5

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