Armando Iannucci, the acclaimed comedy writer and satirist, is set to pen the fourth installment of the Paddington film series alongside his longtime collaborator Simon Blackwell. The duo, known for their work on political satires such as The Thick of It, In the Loop, and Veep, will bring their sharp wit to the beloved bear's next cinematic adventure.
A New Chapter for Paddington
According to a report by Variety on Tuesday, the fourth Paddington film will be written by Iannucci and Blackwell. Iannucci, who co-created the iconic character Alan Partridge with Steve Coogan and The Day Today with Chris Morris, is best known for his political satires. The Thick of It, set in the fictional UK government Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship, introduced the world to Malcolm Tucker, the foul-mouthed and feared director of communications played by Peter Capaldi.
Iannucci's Acclaimed Career
Iannucci also created Veep, the US political satire starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as an incompetent and vicious vice-president, which won 17 Emmys, including two for Iannucci. His Thick of It spin-off film In the Loop, which he directed and co-wrote with Blackwell, Jesse Armstrong, and Tony Roche, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Additionally, Iannucci directed and co-wrote the 2017 black comedy The Death of Stalin and the 2019 film The Personal History of David Copperfield, both co-written with Blackwell.
What to Expect from Paddington 4
When the fourth Paddington movie was announced earlier this year, Studiocanal CEO Anna Marsh revealed that "world-renowned comedy writers" had been hired but offered few details. Variety also reported that Dougal Wilson, who made his feature directorial debut with the third film, Paddington in Peru, is in talks to return for the next installment.
Franchise Success
The Paddington franchise has grossed over $800 million globally. Paddington 2 once held the title of the best-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes in the site's history. The first two films were directed by Paul King, who has since been enlisted to direct a Labubu film.
