What will undoubtedly be the best film of 2024 will arrive in UK cinemas first next month, as Paddington in Peru will debut from November 8. With that film coming up, a delightful gag has been delivered from the UK government of all places, as the Home Office has teamed up with StudioCanal to make an official passport for Paddington Bear, marking the Peruvian refugee as an UK citizen.
As reported on by the RadioTimes, producer Rob Silva revealed that during production they wrote to the Home Office to get a replica passport for Paddington to use in the film, something that was accepted and created with a bit of humour and charm.
"We wrote to the Home Office asking if we could get a replica, and they actually issued Paddington with an official passport - there's only one of these. You wouldn't think the Home Office would have a sense of humour, but under official observations, they've just listed him as Bear."
Obviously, with Paddington being a CGI creation in the film, the passport was never really needed, and likewise voice actor Ben Whishaw never saw it for himself as he spent production locked away in a studio separated from the physical cast.
Whishaw stated: "I would have loved to have gone to Peru and Colombia, but I didn't get to go. I was just in a basement in Soho the entire time."
If you haven't seen a trailer already, you can see the latest glimpse of Paddington in Peru below.