Did Paddington Rip-Off The Muppets?

A third Paddington movie is officially in the works, to the delight of everyone who doesn't hate joy. Yes, there's something undeniably soothing about the cinematic antics of Paddington Bear, the marmalade-addicted ursine stowaway. A big reason why so many movie fans are thrilled at this news is the success of Paddington 2, which is pretty much a perfect movie, almost universally acclaimed by adults and children alike. But ... is Paddington 2 kind of a rip-off?

We hate to say it, we love Paddington Bear more than some of our own family members, but Paddington 2 is very similar to Muppets Most Wanted, the underrated movie caper that came out just a few years earlier. Both heroes (Kermit and Paddington, respectively) get thrown into prison unjustly.

Why? So the villain, a British guy who charms our hero, can follow a series of mysterious clues leading to a hidden treasure.

And while in prison, both Paddington and Kermit win over the hardened inmates. And both movies end with lavish musical numbers in said prison.

It's probably just a crazy coincidence, but it does suck just a little bit for the Muppet franchise; Muppets Most Wanted is a great family movie, but its cool reception effectively ended the Muppets' big-screen resurgence. Paddington 2, on the other hand, was adored by critics and made more than $200 million worldwide. While some critics noted the similarities at the time, no one really talks about it -- presumably because criticizing Paddington feels like strangling a puppy.

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Top Image: StudioCanal