Paddington 3: Missed the Post-Credits Scene? Here’s Everything You Need to Know!

WARNING – This article contains spoilers about the ending of Paddington in Peru

In his latest adventure, Paddington leaves the streets of London and heads back to Peru to follow in the pawsteps of his beloved Aunt Lucy. Accompanied by the Brown family, the little bear embarks on an incredible journey that leads him to discover his origins.

Directed for the first time by Dougal Wilson, who takes over from Paul King (still a producer), “Paddington in Peru” stars Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer (replacing Sally Hawkins), with Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin reprising their roles as members of the Brown family.

Joining them are newcomers Olivia Colman, who won an Oscar in 2019 for her role in “The Favourite,” and Antonio Banderas. Ben Whishaw continues to voice the character in the original version while Guillaume Gallienne once again voices the bear in the French version.

What’s in the post-credits scene?

At the end of his adventure, Paddington decides to return to London with the Brown family while maintaining contact with his parents from El Dorado. In the post-credits scene, the little bear in the red hat welcomes several members of his family to the Browns’ home. They visit Phoenix Buchanan in prison, portrayed by Hugh Grant.

For those who haven’t seen Paddington 2 (a big mistake, catch up soon!), Phoenix Buchanan is a British actor who befriends the Andean bear in order to steal a book containing a secret. As the main antagonist of the second film, he ends up imprisoned at the end.

In the post-credits scene of the third installment, Phoenix Buchanan suggests to the Bears—who visit him in the visiting room—that they should put on a play with him (“Goldilocks and the Three Bears”) upon his release from prison. This cameo will delight the youngsters and please the adults, mirroring the scene in Paddington 2 where the hero is in prison.

Does the end of Paddington 3 hint at a sequel?

But is this scene just a nod, or does it hint at a fourth installment? As of now, it’s unclear whether Hugh Grant will return in a subsequent film, but a fourth installment is indeed in the works.

At the Brand Licensing Europe 2024 convention last September, Françoise Guyonnet, CEO of StudioCanal, discussed the future of the franchise under the StudioCanal Kids & Family label. “We are working on a new Paddington TV series and especially on a fourth film set to release in 2027 or 2028.” A theatrical release in 2028 would be a fitting tribute to the character created by Michael Bond, coinciding with Paddington’s 70th anniversary.

Thus, a fourth film is definitely in the pipeline, though details about the movie are still under wraps.