Ever since British author Michael Bond's enchanting debut novel "A Bear Called Paddington" hit bookshelves in 1958, Paddington the Bear has soared to legendary status, becoming a beloved icon in the hearts of children across the globe, particularly on the first day of 2025 when a new Paddington movie greeted fans in Chinese cinemas.
Dressed in a Paddington costume, an actor playing the iconic cheerful bear takes the stage at the premiere of "Paddington in Peru" in Beijing on December 29, 2024. /Photo provided to CGTN
Box-office earnings for "Paddington in Peru," the third installment of the Paddington film franchise, grossed over 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) on its opening day in China.
Ahead of the film's release, both a premiere and a reading and discussion event of the original novel were held simultaneously in Beijing to provide moviegoers with a heartwarming cultural experience.
At the premiere, Geraldine McCafferty, deputy head of mission at the British embassy in Beijing, praised the contribution made by this beloved, marmalade-loving bear to cultural exchanges with other nations.
Since its publication in 1958, the book has been translated into more than 40 languages over nearly 70 years.
According to Bai Bing, general manager and senior editor-in-chief of China’s Jieli Publishing House, the Paddington Bear series is deeply popular with young Chinese readers, with more than 1.2 million copies published in simplified Chinese since 2010.