The recent trailer for Paddington made the movie look fairly awful, but I was still curious to hear what he would sound like with Colin Firth.  It looks like I’ll never have the answer.  According to EW, Firth, who was set to provide the voice of Paddington Bear, has decided to leave the production.  “After a period of denial,” says Firth, “we’ve chosen ‘conscious uncoupling.’”  After seeing Paddington in action, Firth says he’s “come to the sad realization that he simply doesn’t have my voice.”  I assumed his vocal performance would bring a level of dignity to the character, and that apparently no longer fits with the earwax-tasting, toilet-dunking Paddington we saw in the trailer.  Firth did add that “I’m pestering them all with suggestions for finding a voice worthy of him.”

Although finding a replacement and re-recording the lines will be a bit of a headache, it shouldn’t be an insurmountable task to find a new voice actor and still make the film’s December 25th release date.  Director Paul King (The Mighty Boosh) says Paddington’s new voice will be announced in the coming weeks.  The film’s live-action cast still includes Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman.  Sound off in the comments about who you think should voice Paddington.

Following yesterday’s new images (and subsequent “Creepy Paddington” meme), a new Paddington trailer and poster have gone online.  The story centers on a young bear (voiced by Colin Firth) who is lost at Paddington Station in London, adopted by a kind family, and then Paddington sets out in search of an explorer who inspired his aunt years before.  It’s a charming story of an adorable bear, and this trailer couldn’t pander harder to children.  Paddington licks his earwax, dunks his head in a toilet, and gets his face smushed in a turnstile.  Hugh Bonneville adds a little bit of comedy that isn’t geared towards kids, but this trailer isn’t an encouraging sign for the overall movie.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and poster.  The film also stars Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman.   Paddington opens December 25th.

Here’s a look at some new release date changes:

• The Weinstein Company and Dimension Film family feature Paddington will now open on Christmas Day instead of its original December 12, 2014 release.
• TWC’s The Coup,  John Erick Dowdle’s action thriller starring Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan, will open March 6, 2015.
• TWC’s Underdogs, Phillip Rhee’s family action film in which he stars alongside Beau Bridges, Tom Arnold, and Mirelly Taylor, moves from August 27, 2014 to January 16, 2015.
• Relativity has moved Hector and the Search for Happiness up a week from September 26th to September 19th.  Simon Pegg stars as a psychiatrist who sets out on a global quest to find out if happiness exists.
• Relativity’s Desert Dancer, the biopic of Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian starring Reece Ritchie and Freida Pinto, moves from August 15th to March 20, 2015

Hit the jump for more on each film.

Studiocanal has released the first Paddington images online.  The story centers on a young bear (voiced by Colin Firth) who is lost at Paddington Station in London, adopted by a kind family, and then Paddington sets out in search of an explorer who inspired his aunt years before.  These images give us our first full look at Paddington’s face, and even though he looks like a mix between a cartoon character and a real bear, there’s no denying that a bear in people clothes is kind of adorable.  It’s also comforting to know that he probably won’t attack and eat anyone.

Hit the jump to check out the Paddington images.  The film also stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman.   Paddington now opens December 25th.

TWC-Dimension has released the first trailer for Paddington.  The story centers on a young bear (voiced by Colin Firth) who is lost at Paddington Station in London, adopted by a kind family, and then Paddington sets out in search of an explorer who inspired his aunt years before.  This is an announcement trailer, and all it really gives us is half of a look at Paddington’s face.  It’s a little surprising that Paddington looks like a realistic bear cub, but that doesn’t mean he’s any less adorable.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer.  The film also stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman.   Paddington opens December 12th.

Earlier this year, we showed you the poster for the upcoming live-action/CGI Paddington Bear adaptation, Paddington.  The story centers on a young bear (voiced by Colin Firth) who is lost at Paddington Station in London, adopted by a kind family, and then Paddington sets out in search of an explorer who inspired his aunt years before.  Firth will be doing some facial-capture for the CGI bear, so that could be a nice touch.   This new poster is almost exactly like the first one except now it has the names of the cast and the release date.  Normally, we would group this with other posters, but it’s Christmas Eve, news is slow, and we make exceptions for bears in raingear.

Hit the jump to check out the poster.  The film also stars Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, and Nicole Kidman.  Paddington opens December 12, 2014.

An adorable Christmas gift is being planned for next Christmas.  TWC-Dimension announced today that Paddington, based on the fancy coat-wearing orphan Paddington Bear character, will open in U.S. theaters on December 14, 2014.  The film was initially announced for an early 2015 U.S. release date following a Christmas U.K. bow, but the film will now square off directly against Ridley Scott’s Biblical epic Exodus on that December date according to Deadline.  Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman lead a cast that includes Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Bonneville also star.

Additionally, just days after announcing a February 2014 release, Summit has decided that January 10, 2014 is a better fit for the 3D Kellan Lutz-fronted sword-and-sandals origin story Hercules: The Legend Begins.  The film now opens directly opposite the nationwide expansions of Her and Lone Survivor and a week after Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones.

I want to make this very clear: Alfonso Cuarón‘s Gravity is brilliant on every level.  While some movies can be enjoyed in the comfort of your home or watched on an iPad or phone, this is not one of them.  Cuarón has crafted a work of cinematic genius that borders on the unreal.  For ninety minutes you will be spellbound.  You’ll feel like you’re out in space with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.  You’ll feel the weightlessness.  You’ll feel their fear.  And as soon as it’s over, you’ll want to experience it again.  Trust me, as soon as you can, go to your local theater (hopefully they have IMAX 3D), and pay to see this movie.   You will not regret it.  For more on Gravity, read Matt’s review.

At the recent Los Angeles press day I landed an exclusive video interview with producer David Heyman.  He talked about the challenges they faced getting the film made, developing the technology, the long takes, the pre-vis, how you should see Gravity in a theater, and more.  However, since Heyman is also producing a number of other projects, I also got updates on the Page Eight sequels, Fables, The Drowned World, Derek Cianfrance’s The Light Between Oceans, Paddington, and more.  Hit the jump to watch.

Things are heating up for the live-action/CGI hybrid adaptation of the popular childrens book series Paddington.  As production gears up to begin later this month, The Weinstein Company has come onboard to handle North American rights for the David Heyman-produced film.  Paddington will be the first release under TWC’s new banner TWC-Dimension, which will serve as a distribution arm that will see Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein “team on films for which they share a common passion.”  Additionally, director Paul King has filled out his cast for the film with Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, and Jim Broadbent.  Hit the jump for more.

Here’s today’s latest casting news:

• Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) will join True Crimes, a dramatization of the cold-case killer Krystian Bala, a Polish writer who was convicted of murder in 2007.  No director is currently attached but Roman Polanski has been floated as a possibility.
• Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) has joined the Paddington Bear adaptation, Paddington, as a lead.  Hugh Laurie (House M.D.) is being courted to voice the title character but is not yet in negotiations.

Hit the jump for more on both projects. 

Steve attended the American Film Market (AFM) last week and was able to bring back some promo posters, images, and synopses for a number of projects currently in development.  Today we’re happy to share a lengthy synopsis for the upcoming adaptation of the best-selling Paddington Bear childrens books.  The live-action/CGI-animated adaptation, titled Paddington, will be directed by Paul King and produced by David Heyman (the Harry Potter franchise).

This synopsis likens the film to E.T. and Mr. Bean, as the story centers on a young bear that was raised as an anglophile by his Aunt Lucy in Peru and is left lost and alone at London’s Paddington Station when Lucy decides it’s time to go to England in search of a better life.  While staying with a kind family who takes him in, Paddington sets out in search of an explorer who inspired his aunt years before, avoiding a sinister taxidermist and unintentionally bringing comic mayhem.  Hit the jump to read the full synopsis.