The beloved bear Paddington returns to the big screen in China on Jan. 1, ringing in the new year with a new adventure set in Peru.

Left to right: Actor Du Jiang, his son, Paddington Bear, British Deputy Head of Mission Geraldine McCafferty, and Du's wife Huo Siyan, pose for a photo at the China premiere of "Paddington in Peru" in Beijing, Dec. 29, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Bona Film Group]

Directed by Dougal Wilson, "Paddington in Peru" follows the marmalade-loving bear on a high-stakes adventure in the Amazon jungle. When Aunt Lucy goes missing from the Home for Retired Bears, Paddington and the Brown family travel to Peru to find her — unraveling a thrilling mystery that may lead to one of the world's greatest treasures.

Full of the franchise's signature blend of wit, charm and laugh-out-loud humor, the third "Paddington" film features Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas, alongside Ben Whishaw, who returns as the voice of Paddington. Paul King, the director of the two previous films, chose not to direct this installment. However, he pitched the idea for this third film and was involved as an executive producer.

Chinese actor Du Jiang reprises his role as Paddington, having also voiced the bear for Chinese audiences in the previous two films. At the China premiere on Dec. 29, he shared his excitement about reuniting with the beloved Paddington after seven years and pointed out how Paddington, surrounded by love, has truly grown up this time. The first installment grossed nearly 100 million yuan in China, while the second earned 206 million yuan in the country. China's Bona Film Group will be distributor for "Paddington in Peru" in the Chinese market.

Paddington was awarded the title of "Honorary Marmalade Ambassador" by the British Embassy in China for his various contributions in foreign exchanges, assisting new families, helping the community and promoting marmalade. Geraldine McCafferty, deputy head of Mission at the British Embassy in Beijing, attended the premiere to bestow this honor.

The new installment has so far received rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it received a 92% fresh rating based on 53 reviews by critics. The website's consensus says the film "whisks away cinema's politest bear to a fresh setting under new creative stewardship, delivering a most agreeable adventure for the whole family."