PictureWorks to bring “PADDINGTON” to India on January 16th, 2015.
INDIA, PictureWorks is proud to announce the release of the forthcoming family entertainer PADDINGTON in India on January 16th, 2015. PADDINGTON is based on the best-selling and internationally adored series of children’s stories by British author Michael Bond. A Heyday Films and STUDIOCANAL production, PADDINGTON is directed by the twice BAFTA- nominated Paul King and produced by multiple award-winning David Heyman (GRAVITY, the HARRY POTTER series fame).
Paddington has received rave reviews post its release in UK as well as Australia earlier this month and will be heading to North America and India simultaneously. It will also be distributed in all territories worldwide.
‘PADDINGTON’ follows the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear with a passion for all things British who travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined – until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck (Please look after this bear. Thank you.), and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.
Avinaash Jumani, Film Acquisitions, PictureWorks says: “We’re pleased to have a family film in the truest sense of the word, one that’s genuinely hilarious, touching and inventive to both kids and their parents. A little bear will make a big splash of entertainment to all ages. Paddington is an adventure not to be missed.”
The cast of PADDINGTON includes –
Ben Whishaw (PERFUME, BRIGHT STAR) as the voice of Paddington
- Hugh Bonneville (TV’s “Downton Abbey”, THE MONUMENTS MEN) as uptight patriarch Mr. Brown
- Sally Hawkins (BLUE JASMINE, HAPPY GO LUCKY) as the kindly and free-spirited Mrs. Brown
- Nicole Kidman (BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP, THE HOURS) as Millicent, a sinister taxidermist with her eye on Paddington
- Jim Broadbent (THE IRON LADY, MOULIN ROUGE) as Mr. Gruber, antique shop owner and wise mentor
- Julie Walters (the HARRY POTTER series, MAMMA MIA!) as Mrs. Bird, the Browns’ eccentric housekeeper
- Peter Capaldi (DR WHO, IN THE LOOP) as Mr. Curry, their crotchety, curtain-twitching neighbour
- Michael Gambon (THE KING’S SPEECH, the HARRY POTTER series)
- Imelda Staunton (PRIDE, MALEFICENT), as the voices of Paddington’s Uncle Pastuzo and Aunt Lucy
- Samuel Joslin (THE IMPOSSIBLE) and Madeleine Harris as the Brown children Jonathan and Judy
Creative talent behind the camera includes Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (THE DARK KNIGHT), Director of Photography Erik Wilson (TYRANNOSAUR, THE IMPOSTOR), Production Designer Gary Williamson (SUBMARINE) and the highly acclaimed British Visual Effects company, Framestore – which most recently collaborated with producer David Heyman on the critical and commercial smash hit, GRAVITY. PADDINGTON’s beautiful score is composed by Nick Urata (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) and the film is edited by Mark Everson (ALAN PARTRIDGE).
Director Paul King elaborates on the adaptation of Paddington series into a film, “Like most people of my generation, I have very fond memories of Paddington from childhood. I grew up with the FilmFair animations and his teddy bear took pride of place in my bedroom, but it wasn’t until I revisited the stories as an adult that I asked why this particular character had so entranced me. There’s no shortage of talking animals in children’s literature, but few have the enduring appeal of Paddington. For me, the secret lies in his label: “Please Look After This Bear. Thank you”. Despite this little bear’s outward calm and self-assurance, it tells us that inside, he is vulnerable and in need of help in a frightening new world. At some point in his or her lives, everyone has felt like an outsider.. You only need to have had your first day at school or spent a night away from home to empathise with the little bear, lost and alone – and to me it is this that has made generations of readers’ hearts go out to him.”
David Heyman, Producer says, “I had always been an admirer of Paul King’s work: his comic sensibility, his vivid imagination and his work with actors. Paul King is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from the UK in recent years. He is like Paddington in so many ways—charming, polite, principled, full of heart, with a sense of wonder and yes, he also has a bit of a belly. And I am thrilled that we now have such an exceptional cast to bring the story of Paddington Bear to life.”
The film is set to release in 150 screens across India on the 16th of January 2015.
About PictureWorks:
PictureWorks, is a company launched by Avinaash Jumani, to acquire world cinema content for India and the Indian sub-continent territories. PictureWorks aims to acquire 15-20 titles a year from various countries. The company has already acquired all Indian rights to following 3 films releasing early 2015 — “WHIPLASH” featuring J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller, “THE COBBLER” featuring Adam Sandler and Dustin Hoffman scheduled for an April release and “WILD TALES” a foreign language film from Argentina expected to be nominated for Oscars as one of the Best Foreign language film.
UK Box Office success
In the UK, the film opened at No.1 in the market to an estimated £5.1m or $8m (ahead of HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY 2nd weekend). This is the biggest opening of all time for a non-US studio family title and also represents the highest ever opening weekend for a Studiocanal title in the territory. Furthermore, PADDINGTON opened ahead of the following comparison titles (please remember that many of these had a 3D ticket upcharge where PADDINGTON is 2D only release)
+ 7% above FROZEN (£4.75m)
+ 13% above WRECK IT RALPH (£4.52m)
+ 45% above DESPICABLE ME (£3.51m)
+ 87% above HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (£2.72m)
+ 122% above THE SMURFS (£2.30m)
+143% above ARTHUR CHRISTMAS (£2.1m)
