This year for Christmas, Disney is giving us the return of a beloved classic with “Mary Poppins Returns.” Rob Marshall’s sequel to the 1964 film produced by the man Walt Disney himself has a lot to live up to. But with 2002’s “Chicago” and 2014’s “Into the Woods” being smash-hits, Marshall already has some good musical cred to his name. And yes, like the original, “Mary Poppins Returns” will be a musical.
The leading lady playing the magical nanny, British actress Emily Blunt, has worked with Marshall before, on the aforementioned “Into the Woods,” so she also has experience in the musical department. She is known for her recent drama “The Girl on the Train” and the drama-horror film “A Quiet Place,” which is already turning heads for awards season.
Blunt co-stars in the film with Lin-Manuel Miranda, who rocketed to stardom after his musical “Hamilton” debuted on Broadway, and he has been working non-stop since. His music appeared in Disney’s “Moana” and though he has made a few odd film and television appearances, this will be his first major acting role since his Broadway breakout. Also joining the cast is are a couple more big-name musical veterans; Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury, as well as Julie Walters, Ben Whishaw, and Emily Mortimer. Even Dick Van Dyke himself will be making an appearance.
Hopefully, “Mary Poppins Returns” will send us straight down memory lane and be the perfect feel-good movie for the Christmas season when it hits theaters on December 19.
Here’s the new trailer: