Colin Firth, star of Kingsman and Bridget Jones’ Baby, has entered talks to join Mary Poppins Returns, the long-rumored sequel headed up by director Rob Marshall.
Variety has the scoop, revealing the British thesp is in line to land the role of William Weatherall Wilkins, president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. On board to craft what Disney hopes to be a super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious screenplay is David Magee, with Marc Platt and John DeLuca attached to produce.
Meanwhile, Sicario star Emily Blunt will takes point as the magical caretaker, headlining a story that “will take place in Depression-era London (when the books were originally written) and follows a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, who, along with Michael’s three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins (Blunt) following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack (Miranda), she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.”
Hamilton star and all-round musical maestro Lin-Manuel Miranda is the only other confirmed cast member at the moment. Based on previous reports, both Ben Whishaw (Spectre, Paddington) and Meryl Streep are still negotiating deals, with the latter being eyed for the role of Poppins’ cousin, Topsy. Though she wasn’t an active part in Disney’s 1964 classic, Topsy was a character that featured fairly prominently in the P.L. Travers novels, which aligns with early rumors that the House of Mouse is working with Marshall to craft a sequel rather than a by-the-numbers remake.
Mary Poppins Returns on December 25, 2018. Long before that, Firth will be making the not-so-surprising return trip to the Kingsman universe in time for The Golden Circle. Look for that sequel to bow on June 16, 2017.
