Ben Whishaw Takes Over As The Voice Of "Paddington"

33-year-old British actor, Ben Whishaw has stepped in to replace Colin Firth as the voice of the title character in the upcoming live-action meets CG animated feature "Paddington" says The Daily Mail.

“Bunny and the Bull” and “The Mighty Boosh” director Paul King wrote the adapted script set in modern times and will helm the film which follows the curious but polite young bear who travels from darkest Peru to London’s Paddington station where he’s taken in by an English family.

Michael Bond's first book featuring Paddington Bear was published in 1958.

Firth left last month with the statement that the character "simply doesn't have my voice".

Nicole Kidman, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent also star.

Harry Potter film series producer David Heyman will do the same here.

The Weinstein Company nabbed the North American rights to the film and will release it through their new label TWC-Dimension

The project is still on track for a Christmas Day release in the United States.