"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." actor Hugh Grant joins "In the Heart of the Sea" actor Brendan Gleeson in "Paddington 2." "Bunny and the Bull" director Paul King once again directs the film.
According to Variety, Grant will play as a vain and charming acting legend Phoenix Buchanan in "Paddington 2." Gleeson will play the notorious safe-cracker and strongman "Knuckles" McGinty and becomes an unexpected ally for Paddington.
"Skyfall" actor Ben Whishaw and "Maleficent" actress Imelda Staunton are also set to reprise their voice roles as Paddington and Aunt Lucy, respectively, in "Paddington 2." "Silent Hours" actor Hugh Bonneville, "Godzilla" actress Sally Hawkins, "Mama Mia" actress Julie Walters, "London Spy" actor Jim Broadbent, "Doctor Who" actor Peter Capaldi, "The Psychopath Next Door" actress Madeleine Harris, and "The Nostalgist" young actor Samuel Joslin are reprising their roles.
"Paddington 2" centers on the beloved bear Paddington being happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community. Paddington begins on a series of odd jobs to buy a cherished pop-up book from a local antique shop for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen. He will be seen on the trail of a thief, BBC News reported.
"Paddington 2" is produced by "Gravity" producer David Heyman with Heyday Films and Studiocanal. The script is written by King and "Blunder" writer Simon Farnaby. It is fully financed by The French film company Studiocanal is fully financing it for distribution in the U.K., France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand and is also handling the international sales.
The original film "Paddington" opened in 2014 to critical and commercial acclaim. It garnered strong reviews, grossed $270 million worldwide, and became the highest grossing independent family film of all time. It included box office of 76.2 million in the U.S. and £37.9 million ($59.5 million) in the U.K. and was the second-highest-grossing film in the U.K. in 2014 finishing behind only "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies."
"Paddington 2" has already begun its principal photography. It is set to be released in the U.K.in November 2017.
Watch the video of Hugh Grant joining "Paddington 2":