Through word of mouth on the film’s Twitter (RIP), many cinephiles got Paddington-pilled and were there when Paddington 2 opened, and now excited for the much-delayed stateside release of Places called Paddington in Peru. So why is it so hard for American fans to get their feet wet? Paddington sale?

The first two films, both directed by Paul King, adapted English author Michael Bond’s classic tales about a lost bear from “darkest Peru” with fantastic adventures in London. It seems like hyperbole to call them both the best movies ever made, BUT Paddington 2 holds the title of the best reviewed film of rotten tomatoes; was even removed from the throne Citizen Kane. It’s only been reduced to 99% thanks to a bad review dropped by a contrarian — deserving of the hardest stares from Paddington himself.

So yes, very serious. Since the release of both films, fans have embraced King’s films as modern classics. Those who raised a lil’ cinema nerd brood have had children growing up on the franchise for about a decade, while the other iconic British bearer of the Mouse House – AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh – struggled to make the a cinematic outdoor effect. in marketing. As Paddington became a huge part of the pop culture zeitgeist, Disney took notice and released the live-action hybrid. Christopher Robin film after his attempt at an animated feature length animated Winnie the Pooh the film is destroyed. (Beyond Disney, the character is now out for thrill kills thanks to the public domain Blood and Honey horror series).

But as we mentioned, Pooh remains visible because of marketing; he and his friends everywhere even though IP movies and movies have similar results with longevity. Meanwhile, Paddington achieved cult status thanks to the King films’ knack for tapping into the timeless appeal of found family themes and slapstick whimsy. It can make the toughest men cry, as seen in The Unbearable Weight of Many Talents, the meta film starring Nicolas Cage as himself hired to be with Pedro Pascal, whose crime-lord character is the actor’s biggest fan. Paddington 2 Caught a memorable moment on screen that brought the two characters together.

With all the praise and admiration why is it still so hard for US fans to find a decent Paddington Bear stuffed animal, or any really good merchandise, leakage deep movies?

We can’t help but wonder if Paddington is being watched at the gate. Of course, there are bear versions of Amazon, but they are mostly the variant of the book and very rarely from movie. If you are looking for a cute, close to 1:1 size bear, you should visit the official Paddington store at London’s Paddington Station. And it has been like this since at least Paddington 2 when I was looking for one as a childless adult millennial toy collector. The one I managed in 2018… well, it was like an eight-inch standard bear with a flimsy felt hat and coat, like these examples found online:

Even in 2020 Nickelodeon Paddington Talks animated series, the third reboot since the ’70s and ’90s shows, Paddington continues to grow mostly through word of mouth because no merch is pushed for visibility. The Nickelodeon series has a limited run on steam, and good luck finding seasons on DVD. That series coincides with skyrocketing popularity for another lock-in favorite: Bluey. In fact, my husband and I became close Bluey when filmmaker Duncan Jones recommended it on Twitter; We’re taking our fellow movie nerd friends to Ludo Studio’s animated series by letting them know that it has the energy and heart of Paddington. It prevents us from losing our thoughts at home during the pandemic, and otherwise Paddington I’m not sure we will live in the time of Bluey right now. It paves the way for Blueythe takeover—which, by the way, includes lots of merchandise and accessories for all ages. And for Paddington? You have to work hard to find something good.

Now that I have a child, I’m even more compelled to find a good one. I prepared; I bought the soft one Paddington rattle in 2021 from Barnes and Noble—but how can it be 2025 and this is still one of the few toys you can find? It’s my son’s favorite, but to have Paddington under the Christmas tree for his first holiday, I had to order from Shop Paddington online and wondering if I bought the Places called Paddington in Peru releases they are the best. They weren’t what I expected, in part because they cost less (and oof, the price of UK postage is terrible). To use another pop-culture example for a character originating outside the US, Totoro stuffed animals are also hard to find, and retailers that sell official Studio Ghibli overcharge for them. But at least they are accurate in their animated appearance, plus the size.

Paddington was, understandably, also a hot commodity in the UK, until the fake manufacturers were spotted. The Independent reported on a recent crackdown in which “almost 2,000” items were seized near the locations where the films were shot. On Reddit, you’ll find complaints from everyone about how hard it is to track down the perfect Paddington bear — they really are. only is in London.

The best I can do this Christmas is an internationally shipped bear and a few pieces from H&M Paddington Bear children’s clothing collection. Baby Gap also released a children’s clothing line, but it was available in the UK first and more widely; here’s what you get stateside. Both adorable drops feature the classic children’s book Paddington.

It’s scary for kids, but even funnier for adults. If you have the money you can get a coat (for about $600) or some shirts from Rowing Blazers. The company also has some neat hats, including one that reads “Please look at this bear. Thank you,” but it’s sold out. Out of Print have some shirts, and Oodie releases comfy-look oversized Paddington blanket sweaters—but again, this is the book version of Paddington only.

Thankfully streaming has revealed the wonders of Paddington to a wider audience; films regularly top the charts on Netflix and Disney+. Perhaps the current merch logjam can be traced back to the films’ complicated journey through various US distributors: Studio Canal originally had a deal with the Weinstein Company but withdrew from that, and then Paddington 2 released by Warner Bros. The third film, directed by Dougal Wilson, is a Sony Pictures release.

When the excitement is drummed up Places called Paddington in Peruthe demand may change in future films. Paddington 4 is in the works before the character’s 70th anniversary (bring Paul King back) and there was much better merchandise widely available then.

Places called Paddington in Peru opens on February 14.

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