American actress and singer Rachel Zegler will no longer star in Paddington in Peru — the long-awaited third installment of the beloved Paddington franchise — due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
In her place, newcomer Carlo Tous will play the role of Gina Cabot.
The movie, directed by Dougal Wilson for StudioCanal and Heyday Films which has now completed filming on location in London, Peru and Colombia, will be released in the U.S. by Sony Pictures on January 17, 2025, meaning it will play over the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.
The U.K., however, will be getting the feature somewhat earlier, with StudioCanal having set a release date of November 8, 2024.
As previously announced, Sally Hawkins dropped out after two Paddington appearances as Mrs. Brown, replaced by Emily Mortimer.
Alongside returnees Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin and Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas have joined the cast.
Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton also return as the respective voices of Paddington and Aunt Lucy.
“It’s been a joy and an honor to shoot Paddington in Peru with such a wonderful and talented cast and crew,” said Wilson. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been blessed with such a lovely group of people, many of whom have returned to the world of this beloved bear. We are also delighted to have welcomed Emily, Olivia, Antonio and Carla to the Paddington family.”
Six years since Paddington 2, the third Paddington movie brings the bear’s story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears.
With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and to the mountain peaks of Peru.
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