A ‘Paddington’ Stage Musical Is in the Works

APaddingtonmusical is developing with the theater production company Sonia Friedman Productions, the group behind the stage showHarry Potter and the Cursed Child. The music and lyrics will be done byTom Fletcher, lead vocalist and guitarist of the British band McFly.Paddington: The Musical(the current workshop title) is being adapted from authorMichael Bond’s iconic fictional novels about a curious little bear named Paddington. After losing his home in the Peruvian rainforest, Paddington packs up his life into three items: a raincoat, a red hat, and a small suitcase. He travels to England and makes a home for himself there with the Brown family.

With a planned UK premiere date of 2025,Paddington: The Musicalwill be written by scriptwriterJessica Swaleand directed byLuke Sheppard. Swale won anOlivier awardfor her script in the 2013 playNell Gwynn, while Sheppard’s work onThe Little Big Thingswasnominatedfor the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Musical.

Studiocanal and Eliza Lumley Productions will join Sonia Friedman Productions as co-producers, releasing a joint statement toVarietyabout their excitement at working on such a special musical. “It is a privilege to be creating a new musical about this gorgeous and beloved little bear with such a wonderful team.The magic of Paddingtonis that, through his wide-eyed innocence, he sees the very best in humanity, reminding us that love and kindness can triumph if we open our hearts and minds to one another. We cannot wait to bring Paddington, his antics, adventures and mishaps with the Brown family, and Michael Bond’s other treasured characters to the stage. We hope to inspire audiences of all ages with fun, beauty, joy, and all that Paddington stands for.”

How Many Paddington Adaptations Have There Been?

Bond’s novels have a total of fifteen books in the series. The character has become such a staple of British culture that there’s a statue of Paddington wearing his iconic hat, sitting in the same spot where the little bear meets the Brown family in the book, Platform 1. A television series was developed in 1976 calledPaddington. The series had two seasons with a total of 56 episodes and three specials. So, when it came to making big-screen adaptations, his story had to be handled with care. Luckily, it was, as the character has enjoyed two successful films, makingPaddingtonone of thebest children’s book adaptationsto date. And thanks to that success, there’s another film set to be released in 2024 calledPaddington in Peru.

Olivia ColmanandAntonio Banderasare set to join the franchise as the Reverend Mother and Hunter Cabot as our beloved bear looks to reunite with his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton). And whileBen Whishawis returning to voice the titular character Paddington, the first two films' directorPaul Kingwill be sitting this one out. Unfortunately, King was too busy working on a different film (which also happens to be a musical as well)Wonka. Therefore,Dougal Wilsonis stepping up to the plate to bringPaddington in Peruto life.