Colin Firth-voiced animated movie "Paddington" arriving Christmas 2014

PanARMENIAN.Net - That icon of children's literature, Paddington the bear, will make his way into theaters for Christmas 2014, The Hollywood Reporter said.

TWC-Dimension announced Thursday that Paddington, a CG-live action film, will be released in the U.S. on Dec. 12, 2014.

The film, produced by Gravity and Harry Potter producer David Heyman, stars Colin Firth as the voice of the famous red bear, and also stars Nicole Kidman, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi and Julie Walters.

The story follows Peruvian bear Paddington as he tries to find a home in the city of London. He's taken in by the Brown family, but his safety is threatened when a villainous museum curator takes notice of the bear.

Directed by Paul King, the film was financed by StudioCanal, which is also handling distribution in France, Germany and the U.K., along with handling world sales.

“The holiday season is the perfect time to bring the humorous adventures of one of the world’s most lovable bears to family audiences everywhere,” said distribution president Erik Lomis.

The only other wide release currently slated for that date is Fox's Biblical tentpole Exodus.

TWC-Dimension also announced that former DreamWorks Animation marketing chief Anne Globe has been brought in to consult on marketing Paddington.