I was thinking about this the other day: why isn’t Hollywood interested in making the sequels that I would actually watch? You know, there’s so much space for a sequel to Broadcast News. There’s room for a sequel to Love Actually. There’s interest, on my part, for a genuine sequel to Mr. & Mrs. Smith. But we’re not getting sequels for any of those films. No, we’re getting a sequel to Mary Poppins. Which, for some people, would be like doing a sequel to The Sound of Music. Personally, I’ve never given a crap about Poppins (I have strong feelings about The Sound of Music though), but I think the idea of a sequel is a craven cash-grab by Disney.
Anyway, we knew that Disney was interested in making a sequel – they said as much last year. Back then, Anne Hathaway was considered the leading contender to play Mary Poppins, with Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Amy Adams and Kristen Bell being mentioned as well. Now the Hollywood Reporter says that Hathaway didn’t get it. Emily Blunt is (probably) your new Poppins.
Emily Blunt is in talks to play Mary Poppins in Disney’s sequel to its 1964 classic. Rob Marshall is directing the new untitled movie, which will be set some 20 years after the tale in the first film that starred Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke. It will also take its cues from the book series that P.L. Travers wrote. (The original Mary Poppins pic was based largely on the first book, published in 1934; the last book in the series was released in 1988.)
Blunt’s name surfaced almost immediately as a top contender for the role when news of the project broke last September, but it’s only now that talks are underway in earnest.
Marshall is producing with Marc Platt and John DeLuca. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will be composing original songs and an all-new score. David Magee is attached to write the screenplay. Drawing from the wealth of material in Travers’ additional seven novels, Disney and Marshall are developing a brand-new live-action musical. The story is set in Depression-era London and revolves around a now-grown Michael Banks, who has children of his own. In tough times, big sister Jane returns and soon after, their beloved Mary Poppins comes back to help.
Poor Annie Hathaway! To be fair though, people probably would have had a sh-t fit if an American actress was cast in this beloved role of a magical English nanny. I think Anne was probably considered more of a contender initially because of her existing relationship with Rob Marshall and because Annie is tight with Julie Andrews. But! Emily Blunt has a relationship with Marshall too, and Emily is English. And she can sing too. So… whatever, I don’t hate this, mostly because this sequel is not for me. I’m going to light a candle and pray for that Broadcast News sequel.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Totally love it!
Right? She seems perfect, to me. And I’m a big big fan of MP! And it wouldn’t hurt if they made a movie about kids learning some discipline, with sweetness, but still. I feel our kids nowadays are so lost in this social media, almost-adult movies… sigh.
I think Emily will do Julie Andrews justice.
Love, Love, Love it, too! 🙂
Hate it. There is absolutely no need for this to happen.
Agree
Ditto.
I don’t like Emily Blunt. She seems like the kind of person who complains a lot and talks trash about people.
Hate it. And that’s nothing to do with Emily Blunt.
Would you like an adaptation that was all dark and ambiguous, like the character in the books?
When I read this, I was wondering if they might go darker. Because I think Emily could bring that!
I don’t have a problem with this sequel, because at least there’s plenty of additional original source material in the other books! It’s not like someone is making up a new Mary Poppins story out of whole cloth (at least I hope not). Although the original Disney movie did take a lot of liberties with the adaptation, too.
Oooh I hope that’s what they go for!
@Sixer (or anyone else who’s read the series) Are the books an enjoyable read for an adult? I’ve never read them, but I love the Mary Poppins movie, so now I’m curious.
i hate it too, and i love emily so much. it’s really unnecessary, some iconic films with iconic characters should never be remade.
Isn’t Mary Poppins all sweetness and light, practically perfect in every way? Emily Blunt seems like she’d roll her eyes at that.
I think MP, although smiling and singing, was actually a complete hardass when it came to schedules, routines and having the kids do what she wanted them to do. She wasn’t all gooey and sweet.
See, I see Emily as a lot more like MP in the books, and I’m actually kind of interested to see if they go there. Even in the movie, Mary was totally a hardass! I agree! She had an edge.
I think MP describes herself as “I’m firm but, never cross”.
But she is also a proper stern British lady in outward appearance. She only sometimes lets her guard down and lets the kids see real her.
100% no. In the movies she definitely had an edge but even then they lightened her up significantly from the books. I LOVE the original movie but I think if they do a new one it would be much more interesting for them to take the character closer to the source material.
On a different note, it would have been really disrespectful to PJ Travers if the actress cast had been American. She was extremely clear in regards to her views on this.
I need that Love Actually sequel.
Yes, please!
Yes!
(this will be the only time you will ever see me in favor of another Rom Com)
Not sure if I could watch it. It would only make me miss Alan Rickman more. 🙁
“You know, there’s so much space for a sequel to Broadcast News.”
@Kaiser – I didn’t know I needed this in my life… but NOW I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE!
RIGHT? A sequel to Broadcast News would be AMAZING. Holly Hunter’s character would probably be at PBS, William Hurt would be about to retire, etc.
Yes! How about William Hurt would be about to retire, but under a cloud of a controversy accused of fabricating some of his stories. Albert Brooks has spent the past few years as a regular on the McLaughlin Group (flop sweat and all).
Exactly, there’s your plot. It would be like a riff on the Brian Williams situation, and how cable news has changed the game.
Somebody needs to make this happen.
The better question is: why do we need to keep making remakes and sequels? All of these movies that are being re-done were once brilliant, original ideas. Where are those?!
I’m team give me a damn original thought, please.
Yup. And now that there is a sequel to Mary Poppins,
I think we should all prepare ourselves for:
“Saving Mr. Banks…Again”
Well they keep doing the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, what’s next 101 Dalmatians? Actually never mind they probably would do that.
Lizzie: They already did remake 101 Dalmatians in live action.
And now they’re working on a live action movie about Cruella DeVille….
She’d be perfect. Mary Poppins was very firm and orderly-even with a smile on her face. I think Emily Blunt is much less “sweet” than Anne Hathaway, so she’d be great.
But she also had a warmth to her, and Emily just seems very cold.
I agree! Not feeling the love from Emily, and the recent pics make her look exhausted and mopey (vs perky and cheerful-Annie looks great pregnant!).
I like Emily a whole lot and I’m sure she can do this, but I wish remakes would just STAHP already.
+1. Love Emily. Don’t love the incessant remakes.
I like Emily very much as well. But don’t think we need a sequel to Mary Poppins.
Not sure why making a sequel based on a second or third book is considered a bad idea. I would love to see it, since I adored the books as a kid. Compared to most sequels (really, did people need 7 Fast and Furious??) or re-dos like The Mummy (the original was great, why ruin it, and with Tom Cruise to boot???) this one actually makes sense. And studios are there to make money, since they are a business and all. No one who has stock in Disney (and if people bothered to look at their mutual funds, that’s probably a lot of folks) wants them to lose money.
I think Emily is a good choice, although I would have loved Amy too. And will definitely be seeing it.
I agree, this is not an insipid new movie in a big action series, but actually something based on other books by the same author on the same subject.
I fail to see how that makes it a) a remake, and b) necessarily a bad movie.
It makes perfect sense marketing wise, too, with all the darker, twisty cinematic retellings of fairytales this would be perfectly on trend (especially if they do go the route of the books and don’t water down the content too much).
If this sequel has to happen (ugh) I’m ok with Emily.
Do we get Bert back? It’s always implied especially in the books and Broadway show that he was magical too. Now who do you cast in that role??!!!?
Is Hugh Jackman too old?? Because he’s amazing!!
Anne Hathaway can’t do an English accent. She tried in One Day and failed miserably. Of course they’re going to go with Emily. I hope Emily gets cast as Carol Danvers, too. Captain Marvel + Mary Poppins… what kind of amazing slayage would that be?! I am here for it. Loved EB in Sicario.
The best English nanny is Emma Thompson in Nanny McPhee.
No way anyone tops her.
LOVE it!!!
Nope – not a good casting. Emily is talented and beautiful but she does not look compassionate and nanny like at all.
She is one of those people with resting bit*h face and that won’t do for this role.
Actually MP is not super sweet, she’s a stern, proper English lady who is often not amused. Moreso in the books, but even in the movie. Emily is perfect.
I like Emily but I don’t find her anywhere near as charming as Julie Andrews. I hope she can bring a tenderness to the role. She’s a good actress so maybe she’ll pull it off. Also, I’m an Anne lover so I was actually looking forward to seeing her in this role.
Mary Poppins is not a sweet, tender person though? I’m confused by these comments. She’s actually quite haughty although she occasionally lets the mask slip and allows some frivolity or tenderness through. And that’s in the movie where they sweetened her up considerably from the books.
Love it. Although, prefer Ann Hathaway.
Hate idea of re-doing the film. If they had to would have preferred Hathaway as I find her singing outstanding. Probably won’t wind up objecting to Blunt, she’s likable enough. But toying with a classic is always tough.
It is perfect. Mary Poppins is supposed to have an edge.
Julie Andrews was too sugary sweet for it.
Emily Blunt will be much closer to the book.
Since it’s not a modern remake but more a continuation of the story, I think she’d be perfect for the role. I really can picture her in it.
Am I the only one wondering why Kristen Bell wasn’t just offered the part straight away? Emily must have gotten some pretty good leverage out of her time with Tom Cruise.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/c2deb9a5e8/mary-poppins-quits-with-kristen-bell
Because it should be an English actress. Travers was so firm on this and Poppins was her creation so that should be respected.
No interest .
I remember I hated Mary Poppins when I watched the movie.
My fav Marry Poppins version is in The Simpsons.She failed,the kids are insupportable,the guy is a jerk and it finished badly
This was my favorite movie as a kid. I watched it recently on TV as a special 50th anniversary & I still loved it. Since this is a sequel, not a remake, I think it would be just fine.
Good pick!
Don’t hate it but not completely in love with the idea of this remake. Maybe less cookies and sweetness and a touch more vinegar?
One of the few remakes I’d like to see is WarGames. I want to see the technology updated to fit our current climate. That’s a remake I could get behind.
Absolutely perfect casting! Emily is so capable of bringing exactly the right element of briskness to a ‘new’ Mary Poppins.
And I feel Julie Andrews, if asked, would be very happy with this choice (and thankful that it’s not Anne Hathaway).
Well, I don’t think it’s bad. It’s also not a reboot, since the story moves on from the original movie.
Love Emily Blunt, and think she’ll make a great Mary Poppins. But at the same time, why is this happening?
I like this casting. I don’t like Emily Blunt cast in The Girl on the Train.
Just: no!!!!
Really dislike her, so won’t be watching it anyway. I am interested to see what they do with the movie, though, based on people’s comments here. Not having read the series, it seems she might do the role justice.
So you can cast a Chinese actor as a Japanese character, or a white actor as a (fill in the blank minority), but God forbid an American gets cast as Mary Poppins. Nice.
If we have to have one, I’ll take Emily. But who asked for one? I’m guessing they’ll try to give it a Julie Andrews guest appearance, right?