There are big Paddington vibes coming from this first teaser for book adaptation Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, what with the anthropomorphic, chatty sweet central creature, a confused family who learn to accept him and odd characters in the wider cast. But as the bear himself might say, while offering a hard stare: if you come at the king, you best not miss... Still, take a gander at this initial look.
Here's your story briefing: When the Primm family (Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Winslow Fegley) moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle – a singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) who loves baths, caviar and great music – living in the attic of his new home.
The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the family must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem), to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality.
Based on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber, and adapted by Will Davies for directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon, Lyle, Lyle's big charm weapon here is singer Mendes, belting out songs written by La La Land/The Greatest Showman duo Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, who lead a team that also includes Ari Afsar, Emily Gardner, Xu Hall, Mark Sonnenblick and Joriah Kwamé.
Can this compete with the Big P? We'll find out when Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile waddles into cinemas this October.