There has been talk of a sequel to the classic 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins for years – not least because that original film is loosely based upon a series of books by P.L. Travers, and there is much more to be mined from that source material. It will not be until December 25th, 2018 that it finally arrives on cinema screens, however, in the form of Mary Poppins Returns.
The musical will be directed by Rob Marshall (Into The Woods), from a script by David Magee (Life Of Pi), with original music by Scott Wittman (Hairspray). Set two decades after the events of the first film, Mary Poppins Returns takes place in depression-era London, with siblings Jane and Michael Banks (young children in the first film) struggling in their adult lives – and needing the help of their one-time magical nanny.
Emily Blunt stars as Mary Poppins, with Meryl Streep appearing as her cousin, and Lin Manuel-Miranda playing streetlamp lighter, Jack. Ben Whishaw is confirmed as playing the role of Michael, while Emily Mortimer has now been cast as his sister, Jane Banks.
Though the original film came in for some criticism for deviating significantly in tone from the books by P.L Travers, it has since been embraced as an all-time favourite by generations of audiences. Creating a sequel might therefore be something of an intimidating prospect, but the combined talents of Rob Marshall, David Magee, and Scott Wittman increases the likelihood of Mary Poppins Returns being something very special indeed – especially with this phenomenal cast.