Paddington 4’: Armando Iannucci to Write Bear’s Next Movie, ‘Paddington in Peru’ Director Dougal Wilson in Talks to Return

Paddington Bear has found a new pair of writers to come up with his next big screen adventure and looks to have secured a director as well.

Variety can exclusively confirm that Armando Iannucci, the Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated Scotsman best known for creating hit satirical shows “Veep” and “The Thick of It,” is set to turn his pen to London’s most beloved four-pawed Peruvian expat and will write the upcoming fourth film in Studiocanal’s hit “Paddington” franchise.

 Iannucci will be joined on screenplay duties by his long-standing and fellow Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated co-writer Simon Blackwell, who served as a key writer on both “Veep” and “The Thick of It.”

Meanwhile, Variety hears that Dougal Wilson, the award-winning commercials and music videos director who made his feature debut with the third film, “Paddington in Peru,” is in talks to return.

“Paddington 4” follows 2014’s “Paddington,” 2017’s “Paddington 2” and 2024’s “Paddington in Peru,” and a combined global box office in excess of $800 million.

 Paul King directed the first two instalments (he wrote the first and co-wrote the second with Simon Farnaby), with Wilson taking over directing duties on the third (which was written by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont).

Rosie Alison (“Paddington,” “Paddington 2,” “Paddington in Peru”), who first came up with the idea to give Michael Bond’s red-hatted bear the live-action-meets-VFX big screen treatment some 20 years ago, continues as producer for Heyday Films.

The fourth Paddington movie was only officially announced earlier this year.

 At CinemaCon, Studiocanal CEO and Canal+ Chief Content Officer Anna Marsh revealed that the film was in development, but shared little else other than that “world-renowned comedy writers” had been hired.

Iannucci has earned his stripes many times over as a comedy writer, having also helped create the iconic TV character Alan Partridge, written for “The Day Today” and, more recently, created HBO’s “Avenue 5,” while on film he co-wrote and directed “In the Loop” (which was Oscar nominated for best adapted screenplay in 2010) and “The Death of Stalin.”

 Blackwell, meanwhile, is also known for creating the Brit TV dark comedy show “Breeders” and sitcom “Back,” helped co-write “In the Loop” and also co-wrote Iannucci’s last feature film, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” (which starred the voice of Paddington, Ben Whishaw).

But taking on Paddington Bear is several giant leaps from Charles Dickens adaptations, TV sitcoms or political satire, and will be no marmalade sandwich-laden picnic.

Perfectly balancing the duffel coat-wearing ursine’s impeccably well-mannered kindness with his endearingly clumsy tendency to land himself in trouble helped elevate the critically adored “Paddington 2” to the status of cinematic masterpiece (it was for a period the highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes).

Speaking to Variety around the release of “Paddington in Peru,” producer Alison said director Wilson was chosen partly because he was “Paddingtonian” and embodied all the positive values of the bear.

 No doubt in Iannucci and Blackwell she’s found the same qualities. If not, hard stares all round.

Albert Wolsky, ‘All That Jazz,’ ‘Bugsy’ and ‘Grease’ Costume Designer, Dies at 95

Albert Wolsky, the two-time Oscar-winning costume designer behind films like “All That Jazz,” “Bugsy,” “Grease” and more, died May 23 in Los Angeles.

 He was 95.

Wolsky’s death was confirmed by several colleagues, including fellow costume designer Christopher Lawrence, in an Instagram post on Sunday.

“Albert Wolsky.

 A prince among men,” Lawrence wrote. “Such love and gratitude for your friendship and mentorship. You were the first to tell me that I was going to be a costume designer and the man I turned to for so many big decisions. I’m so sad.”

For “Grease,” Wolsky created the memorable 1950s looks, including Olivia Newton-John’s skin-tight black pants and greaser leather jacket for her role as Sandy Olsson.

 They were actually sourced from vintage ’50s clothing, she revealed in her autobiography. “They were so old, and there was just one pair, so there was no room for error,” revealed Newton-John in the memoir. “One rip and disaster.” In 2019, Spanx founder Sara Blakely paid $162,000 for the pants at a charity auction.

Across his five-decade-plus career, Wolsky earned more than 20 award nominations, including seven Academy Award nominations.

 Wolsky earned nods for costume design for “Sophie’s Choice” in 1983, “The Journey of Natty Gann” in 1986, “Toys” in 1993, “Across the Universe” in 2008 and “Revolutionary Road” in 2009. He won the Oscar for “All That Jazz” in 1980 and “Bugsy” in 1992.

Wolsky’s career designing for film and TV began in the 1960s when he worked on “Camelot” on Broadway and then on “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” as well as the TV movies “The Desperate Hours” in 1967 and both “Of Mice and Men” and “A Hatful of Rain” in 1968.

 He continued to pick up credits in the 1970s, with films including “Lenny,” “Little Murders,” “Fingers,” “The Turning Point” and more. He also costumed Andrew Bergman’s “Striptease” and Carl Reiner’s “Fatal Instinct,” as well as a string of iconic romantic comedies: Nora Ephron’s “You’ve Got Mail,” Garry Marshall’s “Runaway Bride” and Wayne Wang’s “Maid in Manhattan.”

His final credit was for David O. Russell’s “Amsterdam.”

Wolsky was born on November 24, 1930 in Paris.

 He attended City College of New York, and went on to begin pursuing costume design in the years following.

Albert Wolsky, ‘All That Jazz,’ ‘Bugsy’ and ‘Grease’ Costume Designer, Dies at 95

The deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, is considered one of the most important cabinet ministers and has the ability to solve many problems on his own at the administrative level.

Recently, representatives from the Telugu film industry approached him for an official meeting, and the importance of this meeting has started to attract attention.

Earlier today, film producers like Naga Vamsi, Ravi Shankar, Sahu Garapati, and others met with Kalyan during his visit to Rajahmundry.

 They made an effort to contact him and presented several issues they were facing.

The main concern is the difficulties faced by film exhibitors, as they are asking for a percentage-based share from the producers.

 According to reports, Kalyan gave this issue top priority and asked the producers to provide a clear explanation of the problem and a plan to solve it from the administrative side.

Kalyan also reportedly shared this issue with the cinematography minister, Kandula Durgesh, who was present during the visit.

 He told the relevant team to handle this matter urgently and keep him updated on the progress.

Box Office: ‘Michael’ Nears $800 Million, ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ Hits $600 Million Globally

 "Michael" is getting close to a big box office milestone. The movie about Michael Jackson has made $788 million worldwide and will soon pass the $800 million mark.

Over the weekend, "Michael" earned another $28.5 million overseas, showing strong performance.

 The movie, released by Universal internationally and Lionsgate in the U.S., has made $468 million overseas and $319 million domestically so far. With Japan still to open, "Michael" is expected to beat "Bohemian Rhapsody" ($911 million) to become the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time.

Disney's comedy sequel, "The Devil Wears Prada 2," also hit a box office target with over $600 million worldwide.

 In its fourth weekend, the film made $21 million overseas. It has been very successful in North America with around $200 million so far, but it's been even more popular internationally with $408 million.

This weekend, Disney released "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which made $64 million from 51 countries.

 Top markets included the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and Japan. The movie made $82 million in North America over the weekend and is expected to make $102 million by Monday. That brings the global total to $145 million in three days and $165 million over four days.

Ticket sales for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" are similar to Disney's last "Star Wars" spinoff, "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which had a bad reception and lost money.

 "Solo" made $65 million overseas and $84 million domestically, but it only made $392 million worldwide against a budget of nearly $300 million. "The Mandalorian and Grogu" cost $165 million to make, which is a lower budget for Disney, and has better reviews from critics and audiences. The film's second weekend will show if it's just for fans, or if it can be a longer hit.

Jon Favreau directed "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which continues the story from the Disney+ series "The Mandalorian."

 The series follows Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin and his green sidekick as they travel through a galaxy recovering from the fall of the Empire. It's an important test for Disney as it's the first "Star Wars" movie in seven years since "The Rise of Skywalker." There's pressure for Disney to prove the franchise can work on the big screen because Disney+ has become the main place for "Star Wars" content, with shows like "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Ahsoka." The franchise will return to theaters with "Star Wars: Starfighter" next summer, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling.

Memorial Day Weekend Box Office: ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ Opens to $100 Million Domestically, $163 Million Globally

Disney's "The Mandalorian and Grogu" made $100 million at the domestic box office during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. That's a little less than the expected $102 million for the four-day period, which includes $81 million from the traditional weekend. The movie, which is part of the "Star Wars" series and continues the story from the popular Disney+ show, earned $63 million internationally, bringing its total global earnings to $163 million over the four days. This movie is important because it's the first "Star Wars" film in seven years since "The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019. For years, Lucasfilm, the owner of "Star Wars," struggled to create a new theatrical film, so they focused more on TV shows like "The Book of Boba Fett," "Ahsoka," "Andor," and "Skeleton Crew" on Disney+.

Box office experts aren't sure yet if "Star Wars" is still doing well in theaters.

 They think the movie's performance in its second weekend will show if it's only popular with fans or if it can attract families. So far, ticket sales are about the same as Lucasfilm's last "Star Wars" movie, "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which came out on Memorial Day in 2018 and didn't do well. "Solo" earned $103 million through the four-day holiday and $168 million worldwide, not adjusted for inflation. But due to bad reviews and lackluster word-of-mouth, the movie only made $392 million globally and was the first "Star Wars" film to lose money in its theatrical run. Part of the problem was its massive $300 million budget.

On the other hand, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" was much cheaper, costing around $165 million to make.

 It also got much better reviews from both critics and audiences. But the film still needs to show that younger people are interested in the "Star Wars" universe. Jon Favreau directed the movie, which features Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin and his cute green sidekick as they explore a galaxy recovering from the fall of the evil Empire.

Second place went to Focus Features' horror movie "Obsession," which had a bigger-than-expected second weekend.

 The movie made $23.9 million over the weekend and $30.3 million through Monday, which is a 39% increase from its first showing. This is rare for horror movies, which usually drop sharply after their first weekend. So far, "Obsession" has earned $60.7 million in North America and $75 million worldwide. It was made for less than $1 million and will likely be one of the most profitable films of the year. The movie was directed by YouTube star Curry Barker and follows someone who makes a dark deal to win his crush's heart.

Two other new movies, Paramount's thriller "Passenger" and Neon's crime comedy "I Love Boosters," didn't make it to the top five.

"Passenger" opened at number six with $10.5 million from Friday through Monday, including $8.7 million over the weekend.

 The movie, which is rated R, made $4.8 million overseas, for a total of $13.5 million worldwide. The film, about a couple being stalked by a demonic force, has mixed reviews (42% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a CinemaScore of B-. It only cost $15 million to make.

"I Love Boosters" opened in eighth place with $4.7 million through the four-day frame, including $3.8 million over the weekend.

 The film, directed by Boots Riley ("Sorry to Bother You"), is about professional shoplifters who target a ruthless fashion mogul played by Demi Moore. Critics gave it a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences were mixed, giving it a CinemaScore of B. The movie has a $20 million production budget.

Too Many Beasts’ Review: Sarah Arnold’s Rustic Crime Thriller Mixes New With the Old

Director Sarah Arnold's "Too Many Beasts (L’Espèce explosive)" is a well-made, handcrafted film that delivers both old and new thrills. It's one of those rare films that feels like it's all about the wild boar crime thriller genre, and it seems like no one else has done it quite like this. Its structure, focusing on small-town corruption between powerful politicians, state agents, and the tough, rough people living there, feels like a throwback to older crime thrillers that used to be common on screens.

Arnold's film shows that directors are keeping this old cinema tradition alive.

 Sometimes, the most thrilling thing is watching the rich and powerful get what's coming to them, and the film has characters with flaws that make us root for them and even care about them.

The film starts with a prologue that sets a darkly funny tone.

 We meet Brun (Jean-Louis Coulloc’h), a gamekeeper who kills a landowner who has been feeding the boars too much, causing them to get out of control. Flash forward to meet Fulda (Alexis Manent), a cop who's been assigned to look into the growing conflict between hunters and farmers. Tensions have gotten even worse with new hunters coming in to kill the wild boars, which seem to be getting bigger. There's talk of a conspiracy where the town's political leaders are fattening up the livestock so wealthy clients can hunt more easily, which upsets the old hunters who've done this for years.

As more boars die and end up on lawns, Fulda is tasked with finding out if Brun has returned.

 He finds an unlikely ally in a psychologist named Stéphane (Ella Rumpf). The two realize they might be the only people in town not working for someone with money and power.

"Everytime" won the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes.

 The film has a unique, quirky sense of humor, with characters who speak in a realistic way but also deliver lines that play with the film's more absurd style. A hunter seriously says, "I won't be putting condoms on [the boars]" when overpopulation is discussed. In another scene, Fulda's partner criticizes Brun for his violence, saying, "He gutted a man!" to which Fulda replies, "Sure, but with respect." These characters often act as if they know exactly what movie they're in and seem just as entertained by their lines as we are.

It's worth watching for the dynamic between Rumpf and Manent.

 She's the competent, nervous shrink, and he's the well-meaning but clumsy buffoon. There's obvious sexual tension between them, but they're also bonded by a shared sense of justice and a desire to do the right thing, even if they look silly doing it. In a town that cares a lot about appearances, they're the ones willing to give up ego and reputation for peace, making their story both compelling and funny whenever their noble intentions clash with the violent world around them.

The stories are very human-centered (one would love to see more boars in the film), but the cinematographer, Noé Bach, always uses visuals to challenge the pride the characters show.

 Bach uses wide shots to show how small humans are in the world around them, and he also frames the animals like humans, with close-ups that show the details of their faces.

The film reminds us that no matter how much humans try to control the land or use their weapons and machines, the animals have been around longer and will ultimately win.

 Arnold's film becomes more than just a mystery—it's also a reflection on the complicated relationship humans have with nature, and how capitalism not only breaks relationships between people but also changes how we see the world in a way that can't be undone.

It's amusing to think that as the plot gets more complicated and Fulda and Stéphane get pulled into more ridiculous situations, Arnold is intentionally showing scenes of the boars going about their lives, completely unaffected by all the drama.

 We make things too complicated in our pursuit of more, forgetting the value of simple, contented grazing.

"Too Many Beasts (L’Espèce explosive)" won the Europa Cinema Label at the festival, and it's easy to see why.

 The award comes with the promise of more theatrical support. This is a film that's both a comedy and a drama, with enough wacky humor to attract the arthouse crowd and mainstream themes and stories that appeal to a wider audience.

Arnold has made a film that's easy to love because of its charming cast and compelling story.

 In short, this is a film that's very easy to enjoy.

Cannes Jury President Park Chan-wook Teases: ‘I Didn’t Want to Award the Palme d’Or to Any of the Films’

Cannes' jury head, Park Chan-wook — someone who's often been a favorite at Cannes but has never won the Palme d'Or — made some funny remarks and promoted his new movie during the closing press conference of the 79th Cannes Film Festival.

Park joked about having a hard time deciding which movie should win the top prize this year.

He said, "Honestly, I didn't want to give the Palme d'Or to any of the films because I've never won it myself.

 But I had no choice," he said in a flat, serious tone.

Even though he made jokes, the jury still made a decision.

 The Palme d'Or went to Cristian Mungiu's moral drama "Fjord," starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. This makes Mungiu the tenth filmmaker to win the award twice — 19 years after his first win for "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days."

The highlight of the press conference was Park talking about the jury's decision not to choose favorites in two categories.

 They gave shared honors for acting to Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto in Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "All of a Sudden," and for directing to Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski with "Fatherland," and Spanish duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi with "The Black Ball." Park didn't apologize for this decision.

He said, "If you've seen the two films that won the acting award, I'm sure you'd agree with our choices."

 On the tie for directing, he added, "Both filmmakers did an amazing job, and we just couldn't decide which one was better."

The jury included Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, Laura Wandel, Chloé Zhao, Diego Céspedes, Isaach De Bankolé, Paul Laverty, and Stellan Skarsgård.

The two American films in the competition, James Gray's "Paper Tiger" and Ira Sachs' "The Man I Love," didn't win anything in a year that was especially kind to European movies.

Park is a well-known director from South Korea who made "Job Security Area" in 2000 and "Oldboy" in 2003.

 In recent years, he has become more famous in Hollywood with projects like the HBO series "The Sympathizer," starring Robert Downey Jr., and the 2025 drama "No Other Choice," which had a strong showing at arthouse theaters in the US through distributor Neon.

Park has been part of Cannes before.

 His film "The Handmaiden" was in competition in 2016, and he also served as a jury member at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.