WithPaddington in Peruclosing in on its premiere date, many fans of the beloved children’s franchise may be wondering which actor or actress should be the villain in the nextPaddingtonmovie. Despite being first created in 1958,Paddington Bear has managed to captivate countless generations of readers and viewersright up until the present day. In 2014, the current movie franchise kicked off, with Ben Whishaw voicing the eponymous bear. Now, the franchise is close toreleasingPaddington in Peru, which means even more fun - and chaos - for Paddington to get into.
AlthoughthePaddingtonmovies are obviously centered on the adorable British bear, another major aspect of the films are the villains.The sneaky and suspicious people that Paddington must outwit clearly have devious motives, but rather than being dark or scary, these bad guys usually bring an extra air of fun to the movies. Their schemes and personalities are often campy and silly. Plus, the actors tend to be beloved actors or actresses that are superb at playing bad guys, such as Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, and Olivia Colman. So,Paddington 4’svillainhas quite a few criteria to meet.
10Daniel Craig
Craig Has Proven He Can Be Seriously Silly
A solid candidate for the villain ofPaddington 4would be Daniel Craig. AlthoughCraig is often recognized for his role as the straight-laced James Bond, the British actor is no stranger to being silly. One of the most notable examples of this is his character,Detective Benoit Blanc, in theKnives Outfranchise. Though Blanc is a talented detective, he is memorable because of his exaggerated accent and his eccentric demeanor. This would fit perfectly into thePaddingtonuniverse.
Paddington 4would also make sense with the rest of Craig’s resume. In the past, Craig has appeared in other children’s franchises, includingThe Golden CompassandThe Adventures of Tintin.In fact,Craig played the main antagonist inTintin,Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine. In this way, Craig has experience playing an over-the-top villain, makingPaddingtona natural pivot for him.
9Andrew Scott
Scott Is A Master Of Strange
An actor who has risen to stardom more recently is Andrew Scott. Scott began his acting career in the mid-1990s, but didn’t become a big star until his appearance in 2019’sFleabagas the Hot Priest. Now, he has garnered a number of interesting roles, andPaddington 4would be another amazing addition. The main reason for this is thatScott’s most notable characters are almost always a bit strange, from the suspicious Tom Ripley to the chaotic Hot Priest.
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Of course, Scott has also proven his chops as a villain as well. In 2010’sSherlock,Scott played the iconic villain, Moriarty. This performance alone is a perfect example of howScott can play a bad guy that doesn’t follow stereotypes, but instead, marches to the beat of his own drum. As Scott grows into an even bigger star, his appearance inPaddington 4would be a particularly exciting casting choice.
8Meryl Streep
Streep Is The Queen Of Quirky Villains
Another perfect choice forPaddington 4’svillain is Meryl Streep. Over the years, Streep has cemented herself as a true icon of Hollywood. FromMamma MiatoThe Devil Wears Prada,Streep’s influence is obvious to generations of audiences. Thus, she would make the ideal addition to thePaddingtonfranchise. However,the real genius of bringing Streep into thePaddingtoncast is the fact that she has originated some truly amazing villainsin her time.
Although Streep is one of the most beloved actresses of her time, she is no stranger to playing horrible characters. For one, Miranda Priestly inThe Devil Wears Pradais a diabolical and frightening figure. Even in more recent years, Streep has taken on more villainous roles in projects likeBig Little Lies.Considering Streep’s musical and dramatic abilities, she could certainly take on the exaggerated roleof aPaddingtonvillain.
7Mark Ruffalo
Ruffalo’s Only Villain Character Is One Of His Best
A relative newcomer to the world of fictional villains is Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo is best known for his role as Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he has also starred in other films such as13 Going On 30andZodiac.In Ruffalo’s movies, he usually plays heroic type characters, even if they are a little more awkward or nerdy. Yet, very recently,Ruffalo took on his first villain role as Duncan Wedderburn inPoor Things,and this is proof the actor needs to take on more villain roles.
Ruffalo is ridiculous in his villainy, acting both depraved and hilariously silly.
In many ways, Ruffalo’s portrayal of Duncan is exactly what thePaddingtonfranchise calls for. Ruffalo is ridiculous in his villainy, acting both depraved and hilariously silly. What pushes Duncan over the edge though, is his strange accent, which Ruffalo has admitted is a poor rendition of a British dialect. Overall,Ruffalo may not be the most experienced villain, but his first attempt is a solid fit for the world ofPaddington.
6Anne Hathaway
Hathaway Hides As A Hero
One actress that could be a rather surprising villain inPaddington 4is Anne Hathaway. Hathaway is another beloved Hollywood star, who has originated such roles as Mia Thermopolis inThe Princess Diariesand Andy Sachs inThe Devil Wears Prada.Once again,Hathaway is another actress who usually plays heroes, which is what makes her such a great pickforPaddington.Usually,Paddington’svillains are actors who are hard not to love, which makes their villainy so much more fun.
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InPaddington 4,Hathaway could easily present as a kind and loving character who shocks audiences when she is actually revealed to be a villain. Luckily, Hathaway has even proven her ability to be bad in movies such asThe WitchesandEileen.Overall, Hathaway could bring a unique ambiance to her villain character that others may not be able to provide.
5Benedict Cumberbatch
Cumberbatch Has Done It All
Another actor who is similar to Daniel Craig in his range of experience is Benedict Cumberbatch. Over the course of his career,Cumberbatch has played some serious roles, and some very silly ones.His ability to play Alan Turing inThe Imitation Gameis just as strong as his ability to play The Grinch. In this way, he perfectly toes the line of aPaddingtonvillain.
On top of that, Cumberbatch has the experience to back himself up. The British actor has appeared in various types of films, from straight dramas and historical epics to children’s animated films and massive franchise films. This not only makes him an experienced actor, but it also ensures that audiences will quickly recognize him. Thus,Cumberbatch could be a great candidate to be a quirkyPaddingtonvillain.
4Daniel Radcliffe
Radcliffe Has An Amazing Legacy
One performer that may not be at the top of audiences' radars who would be an outstandingPaddingtonvillain is Daniel Radcliffe. After originating the role of Harry Potter in theHarry Potterfranchise,Radcliffe’s acting career has veeredin a much more indie direction, with appearances in films likeSwiss Army ManandGuns Akimbo.However,it may be time for Radcliffe to return to the franchise spotlight by taking on a role inPaddington.
Although Radcliffe’s indie films have seen him portray characters far different from Harry Potter,Paddingtoncould be a chance to do this on a much larger stage.
Radcliffe would be perfect forPaddingtonbecause he is recognizable, lovable, and talented. Audiences of all ages would be thrilled to see Radcliffe on the big screen again in such a pivotal franchise, and it would be even more fun to see him take on a bad guy role. Although Radcliffe’s indie films have seen him portray characters far different from Harry Potter,Paddingtoncould be a chance to do this on a much larger stage. Radcliffe could be the dapper yet conniving villainPaddingtonneeds.
3Colin Firth
Firth Is A Hollywood Favorite
If Hugh Grant was great inPaddington 2,then his former co-star, Colin Firth would most definitely fit the bill for aPaddingtonvillain. Firth is yet another beloved actor who is best remembered for upbeat films likeMamma MiaandBridget Jones' Diary.Of course,Firth has also done some very serious and important work as well, but his more comedic side is what tends to be especially memorable.This, paired with a goofy villain storyline, could be great.
It could be an especially awesome moment if Firth and Grantreunited inPaddington 4somehow. In the past, the actors have collaborated onBridget Jones DiaryandLove Actually.They share a charismatic yet silly energy that would be splendid to see combined. On top of that, Firth’s casting would be a full-circle moment, since Firth was originally set to voice Paddington back in 2014. Ultimately, Firth is an ideal option.
2Jeff Goldblum
Goldblum Is A Superb Goofball
On the other hand, an actor who is probably a top pick for aPaddingtonvillain is Jeff Goldblum. Goldblum is recognized for his work inJurassic Parkand horror movies likeThe Fly,but more than that, he is known for being a somewhat eccentric person. Goldlbum is funny, charismatic, and definitely has the ambiance of a supervillain. Plus, based on his experience working on Wes Anderson movies and smaller indie films,Goldblum is used to more quirky types of productions.
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Arguably,Goldblum is the type of actor who doesn’t even need a character to play aPaddingtonvillain. Walking on as himself would be entertaining enough. Plus, after his upcoming performance asthe Wizard inWicked,Goldblum’s chances of joiningPaddington’scast could increase. The actor has all the tools to be a fantastic bad guy, especially in a franchise as fun asPaddington.
1Ben Whishaw
Whishaw Could Offer A Shocking Paddington Twist
Last but certainly not least is Ben Whishaw.Whishaw is the current voice of Paddington, which makes him an unexpected but amazing choice to be the nextPaddingtonvillain. Though it may get messy having Whishaw act against himself as an animated bear, it would be wildly entertaining for audiences. Additionally, there are many ways in which this casting could be used in interesting ways, including hiding Whishaw’s identity throughout most of the film.
Overall, Whishaw’s casting as aPaddingtonvillain is pretty unlikely, but it is definitely a unique idea. In general, any of these actors could give an outstanding performance inPaddington 4.Whoever ends up joining thePaddingtoncast will likely be just as wonderful as the franchise’s previous villains.
Paddington
ThePaddingtonfranchise is a beloved film and television series based on the character Paddington Bear, created by British author Michael Bond. The franchise began with the 2014 filmPaddington, which follows the adventures of a polite Peruvian bear who finds a home with the Brown family in London. The series is known for its heartwarming storytelling, charming humor, and its themes of kindness, family, and adventure. The success of the films has led to sequels, a television series, and an upcoming third film, making Paddington a staple of modern family entertainment.
