Colin Firth has dropped out of ‘Paddington’.
The 53-year-old actor has pulled out of providing the voice for Paddington Bear in the upcoming animation after admitting that he didn’t think his tone was suited to the character.
He told Entertainment Weekly: "It’s been bittersweet to see this delightful creature take shape and come to the sad realization that he simply doesn’t have my voice.
"I’ve had the joy of seeing most of the film and it’s going to be quite wonderful. I still feel rather protective of this bear and I’m pestering them all with suggestions for finding a voice worthy of him."
The ‘King’s Speech’ star has left the project late into production as a trailer for the film – which is scheduled for release in December – has already been released, but the date is not expected to change.
‘The Mighty Boosh’ director Paul King has not yet decided on a replacement for firth but claims he will make an announcement in the coming weeks.
He said in a statement: "I cannot thank [Firth] enough for his contribution to ‘Paddington’. We love the voice and we love the bear, but as our young bear came into being we agreed that the two didn’t seem to fit. So, with somewhat heavy hearts we decided to part ways."
The filmmaker added the new voice actor will ensure that Paddington’s "big screen debut is magnificent."
‘Paddington’ – which will feature the voices of Nicole Kidman, Julie Walters and Hugh Bonneville – tells the story of a young Peruvian bear with a passion for all things British who becomes stranded at Paddington train station until he’s adopted by a kind family, after travelling to London in search of a new home.
Colin Firth drops out of Paddington
