That Peru’s furriest import Paddington Bear is headed our way is no surprise. In fact, we’ve known he was coming since 2007, when **Harry Potter **producer David Heyman first made the announcement. But things finally appear to be properly moving forward on the film version, with Paul King hired to take care of the bear and call the shots.
Back during the initial talk, Mr Bean’s Holiday writer Hamish Nicholl was reported as in charge of script duties. Now, however, it would seem that King will be both writing and directing.
Heyman has struck a deal with StudioCanal to produce the tale, which will introduce him to a wider audience with a blend of live action and CG. In an unusual move, the humans will be CG and the bear will be portrayed by a real, giant grizzly b… All right, it’s probably the other way round. Spoilsports.
"Paddington Bear is a universally loved character, treasured for his optimism, his sense of fair play and his perfect manners,” Heyman said in a statement picked up by The Hollywood Reporter. “And of course for his unintentional talent for comic chaos."
King, a veteran of The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, last brought us the ace Bunny And The Bull. He’s also attached to work on an adaptation of Eva Ibbotson’s Island Of The Aunts, but we figure Paddington will take priority. Buy stocks in marmalade now, people; there's about to be a rush to buy it up.