Once best-known for his work on romantic comedies and portrayal of Mr. Darcy in a popular BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, Colin Firth is now one of the most sought after British actors. In 2011, he was awarded the Best Actor Oscar for his work as King George VI in The King’s Speech. Tackling the beloved character of Paddington Bear, however, might prove be one of his most challenging roles yet.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Firth will not only lend his voice to a new CGI version of the cartoon bear (created in the late 1950s by author Michael Bond): the actor’s facial expressions will also be mapped and incorporated into CG Paddington. Firth has previously lent his voice to the 2009 animated version of A Christmas Carol, and he has recently finished shooting the latest Woody Allen film.

The new Paddington film will utilise the familiar mixture of live-action and CG animation that has been used to bring the likes of The Smurfs and Alvin and The Chipmunks to the big-screen. The eponymous bear will be the only animated character in the new film, with the rest of the cast fully human. Nicole Kidman will feature as the main villain.

Due out around Christmas next year, Paddington Bear will be directed by Paul King, who has previously mixed live action and animation in his work on Bunny & The Bull and the TV version of The Mighty Boosh.

(Image: Wikimedia Commons)