Paddington in Peru Filming Locations: London, Colombia and Machu Picchu
Paddington in Peru filming locations span the UK, Colombia, and Peru, adding authenticity to the beloved bear's adventurous sequel.
When Paddington in Peru arrived in cinemas on November 8, 2024, it immediately changed the franchise's visual language. The third live-action Paddington film sends the bear and the Brown family from London to South America to reunite with Aunt Lucy. Rather than relying entirely on CGI, the production traveled to real locations in the United Kingdom, Colombia, and Peru. That choice gives the sequel a documentary-like texture and makes Paddington's latest adventure feel more expansive than the previous films.
🎬 A Production Across Three Countries
Filming began on July 24, 2023 in the United Kingdom. At the time, the SAG-AFTRA strike was disrupting many major productions, but Paddington in Peru moved forward as planned. The crew shot several recognizable London landmarks, including the Shard. From there, the production expanded outward. To create the Amazon rain forest and the Peruvian Andes, the filmmakers used real South American landscapes alongside carefully chosen UK stand-ins.
| Location | Country | On-Screen Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill | United Kingdom | Brown family home exteriors |
| London Paddington Station | United Kingdom | Station sequence, possibly recreated |
| Berrybushes Farm, Hertfordshire | United Kingdom | Aunt Lucy's retirement home |
| Black Park, Buckinghamshire | United Kingdom | Simulated Peruvian rain forest |
| Prado | Colombia | Hunter Cabot's rope bridge scene |
| Colombian jungle | Colombia | Amazon rain forest sequences |
| Lima, Cusco, Maras, Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu | Peru | Mountain landscapes, hometown, Inca ruins |
🇬🇧 The United Kingdom: More Than Just London
Although Paddington lives with the Brown family in London, the UK locations did more than establish their home. According to Time Out, exterior shots of the Brown family house were filmed on Chalcot Crescent in Primrose Hill, a district in London. Another scene shows Paddington and the family at London Paddington Station, the famous hub that inspired the character's name. Reports indicate that the station scene was not actually filmed there, meaning the production likely used a set or digital effects for that moment.
The UK also played a clever stand-in role. Aunt Lucy's retirement home in Peru was filmed at Berrybushes Farm in Hertfordshire, in the English countryside outside London. Similarly, Black Park in Buckinghamshire was used to simulate the Peruvian rain forest. Those choices gave the production more control while still allowing natural environments to appear on screen.
🇨🇴 Colombia: The Jungle Stand-In
Because of its title, some viewers may be surprised that part of Paddington in Peru was filmed in Colombia. The neighboring country offered the majestic landscapes needed for the Amazon rain forest scenes. Shooting in a jungle environment is not easy. Natural weather, difficult terrain, and remote access can create problems for a film crew. The production could have used CGI, but the filmmakers instead captured the lush Colombian jungles for real. That authenticity makes the third movie distinct within the series.
The Colombian town of Prado also provided the setting for a sequence in which Antonio Banderas' character, Hunter Cabot, crosses a treacherous rope bridge. The scene benefits from the actual environment, adding tangible danger and visual scale.
🇵🇪 Peru: Returning to Paddington's Homeland
Unlike the previous films, Paddington in Peru was actually filmed in Peru. The production used the country's mountain ranges to bring the protagonist's homeland to life. According to Accesswire, the team received assistance from the Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board, or PROMPERU. The organization helped the crew obtain permits and visas. Shooting took place in Lima, Cusco, Maras, Machu Picchu, and Huayna Picchu.
The town of Maras was used for scenes of Paddington's hometown. It also hosted the musical moment in which Olivia Colman's Reverend Mother pays homage to The Sound of Music. The most significant location, however, was Machu Picchu. The ancient Inca ruins play a prominent role in the third film's story, and filming there gives the adventure a sense of history and wonder.
Director Dougal Wilson told Empire that the films of Werner Herzog influenced his approach. He said, 'If you've seen Aguirre, The Wrath of God, we go up into similar landscapes. And the people are incredibly friendly. Obviously, there are mopeds and mobile phones and all that, but they do still seem to wear traditional-looking clothes in the rural Andes. So I tried to show some Peruvian culture; a Peruvian legend underlies our whole story.'
🧸 Why the Locations Matter
The Paddington films have always been charming, but they remained relatively small in scale. Paddington in Peru wisely grows the franchise without losing its warmth. Moving beyond London is not a gimmick. It makes sense that the series would eventually explore Peru, the bear's country of origin. The real locations also show that these movies can become bigger, bolder adventures while keeping the sweet, humorous tone audiences expect.
By changing the world around Paddington, the third movie avoids becoming stale. Paddington remains the same polite, marmalade-loving character. The journey simply becomes larger. From English production locations to Colombian jungles and the stone terraces of Machu Picchu, Paddington in Peru uses real places to make a beloved character feel at home in a much wider world.
