First Look at Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins Is Practically Perfect in Every Way
Disney has released the first photo of Emily Blunt in the role of Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns. I always thought she was a perfect choice for the role, and after seeing this photo it solidifies the fact that it was inspired casting. Yeah, I know it's just a little photo tease but she looks great, and I'm sure it will spark some excitement among Mary Poppins fans.
The film is currently shooting in London and has a great cast that includes Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Moana), Ben Whishaw (SPECTRE), Emily Mortimer (Hugo), Julie Walters (Harry Potter films), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), and Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins). Even Dick Van Dyke is in the film! He plays Mr. Dawes Jr., the chairman of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. It was also recently announced that Angela Lansbury will play the Balloon Lady, a character from PL Travers’ original children’s books.
Set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels), Mary Poppins Returnsis drawn from the wealth of material in PL Travers’ additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Whishaw) and Jane (Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children and their housekeeper, Ellen (Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Streep)
The film is being directed by Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, Chicago), and it will be released in theaters on December 25th, 2018.