Hugh Bonneville Casts Doubt On Return To The Paddington Movies

Hugh Bonneville has admitted he’s not sure whether he’ll return for any future films in the Paddington series.

During a recent interview with The i Paper, Hugh – who can currently be seen in action as Robert Crawley in the third and final Downton Abbey movie, The Grand Finale – admitted that the Earl Of Grantham might not be the only franchise role he’s played for the final time. 

But while the British actor thinks it’s unlikely he’ll return as the iconic bear’s adoptive father, fans need not worry that this means the films are done altogether.

“I’m sure they’ll want to make more but no one is indispensable,” he said. “I think I’ve probably had my last dance on that one because I’m getting a bit old now.”

HuffPost UK has contacted the Paddington team for comment.

The W1A star, who will turn 62 later this year, last played the hapless Mr Brown in 2024’s Paddington in Peru, in which the much-loved bear returned to South America after his Aunt Lucy went missing. 

Although the film was met with largely positive reviews, most critics were in agreement that it was something of a downgrade from the first two Paddington films.

If Hugh’s prediction turns out to be true, he wouldn’t be the first Paddington actor to leave the franchise.

Sally Hawkins played Mrs Brown in the first two films before Emily Mortimer took over for Paddington in Peru.

At the time, Sally said in a statement she  “felt the right time to hand the reins over to another” actor, and “one can’t get much better than” Emily.

The Oscar nominee later claimed that she had made the decision not to return as she didn’t want to do a Paddington film without director Paul King, saying it “would’ve broken my heart” to do the movie with someone else.