Paddington Bear is headed for Broadway. Universal Music UK announced today that Paddington: The Musical is coming to New York City’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre starting on March 30, 2027. Tickets are currently on sale starting at $69. Universal Music UK also released a teaser of the aggressively adorable Paddington puppet making his way to Ellis Island. “New York, please look after this bear,” the tagline reads. Agreed.
Paddington: The Musical premiered last November at the Savoy Theatre in London to near-universal praise, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. It claimed six more awards at the show, including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Costume Design. This tied the record for the most wins for a musical in Olivier Award history. Tom Fletcher (a member of the band McFly) wrote the music and lyrics, while Jessica Swale handled the script. The production is based on the A Bear Called Paddington book series by Michael Bond, as well as StudioCanal’s 2014 Paddington film.
For those unfamiliar with this whimsical creature, he’s a wholesome little dude from Peru who immigrates to Britain following the death of his parents. He’s polite, friendly, and loves marmalade. Like, a lot. The musical will follow his adventure from the start as he’s taken in by the Browns. From here, a vengeful villain sets his sights on Paddington, setting off a rescue mission.
Beyond the book series, which has sold over 35 million copies worldwide, the Paddington film trilogy has kept this character in the cultural consciousness. These movies achieved critical acclaim, with all three entries receiving praise for their charm and underlying message of acceptance. They’ve also proven to be box office hits, with the first earning over $300 million, the second $290 million, and the third $211 million. A fourth film is in production with Veep’s Armando Iannuci and Simon Blackwell handling the script and Dougal Wilson returning to direct. There’s plenty more marmalade to come.
