"Paddington in Peru": The Love of Found Family

On Valentine's Day, Paddington the Bear returned back to the big screen while returning to his home of Peru. Photo by Elizabeth Baumgardner '25

While many people found themselves on dates this Valentine’s Day, others found themselves in the movie theater welcoming a fuzzy little bear back to the big screen. 

"Paddington in Peru" was released on Feb. 14, 2025, as the third installment of the Paddington trilogy.  In 2022, the film was picked up by director Dougal Wilson, set to make his theatrical feature debut with the beloved bear from Darkest Peru.

The film follows Paddington as he returns to Peru to visit his Aunt Lucy at the Home for Retired Bears, where she has been staying since she sent Paddington off to London in 2014. However, when they arrive, Paddington and the Brown family learn that Aunt Lucy left without any warning.

It’s up to Paddington and the Browns to figure out where Aunt Lucy could have gone in the Peruvian Amazon. Obviously, in typical Paddington fashion, chaos ensues.

"Paddington in Peru" maintains the childlike wonder of the first two films, with Paddington still adapting to human life as a bear – one especially amusing moment is when Paddington accidentally destroys a photo booth while attempting to take a photo for his passport. 

While the film is lighthearted, the audience watches as Paddington reconnects with an identity he left behind in his homeland after being sent off to London.

Paddington finds great difficulty when returning to Peru. Even though Mr. Brown tried telling Paddington that he may not remember Peru the way he did as a cub, Paddington felt dejected while traveling through the jungle with the Browns. 

The little bear felt like he was letting both them and his Aunt Lucy down. In true Paddington style, he did not let these mishaps stop him. Paddington was going to find his Aunt Lucy, however, Paddington finds more than just his aunt; he finds his home.

While audiences know that Paddington got lost when he was a cub, where exactly did he come from before Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo found him? Well, El Dorado, of course.

At the beginning of his journey, Paddington partners with adventurer Hunter Cabot, played by Antonio Banderas, as he attempts to find the path to El Dorado. Coincidentally, Paddington is the key to finding the lost city of gold.

At the climax of the film, a bracelet that was worn by Paddington as a cub is revealed to be the key to entering El Dorado. That same bracelet served as an identifier for bears from the tribe in the mythical city.

When reunited with his tribe, Paddington immediately strips himself of his iconic red hat and blue coat that have become core to his London identity. He looks like every other bear.

As the Brown family was coming to terms with Paddington finding his home, the little bear had one more surprise for the family and the viewers.

For the longest time, Paddington did not know where he belonged. From being lost as a bear cub to getting shipped off to London, Paddington was a wanderer of the world. Yet, with his relentless spirit, Paddington found a home. He found the Browns. 

While finding his tribe was important to him, Paddington decides to stay with the Browns. To the loveable bear, they were his family. He knew they were his home.

By the end of the film, Paddington recognizes the importance of his two identities. Though he is a bear from Peru, Paddington has built a life for himself in London. 

“Paddington in Peru” is a sweet tale of found family and belonging. Paddington is a little bear that has found a home in the hearts of everyone all over the world. 

Aunt Lucy put it best: She had a feeling that Paddington was going to go far—and go far he did.