Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda to star in "Mary Poppins" sequel
Mary Poppins is coming back to life -- but not as a reboot.
"Sicario" star Emily Blunt will take on the role of the magical nanny -- taking over for Julie Andrews -- in a new sequel to 1964's "Mary Poppins" called "Mary Poppins Returns," set to be released Christmas 2018, Walt Disney Studios announced Tuesday. And starring alongside Blunt will be "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda as a new character, a streetlamp-lighter named Jack.
"Mary Poppins Returns," directed by Rob Marshall -- who last worked with Blunt on "Into the Woods" -- will take place in Depression-era London, with Poppins visiting the now-adult Banks children -- the brother and sister she tended to in the first film -- following a personal loss.
"I am truly humbled and honored to be asked by Disney to bring P.L. Travers' further adventures to the screen," Marshall said in a statement. "The iconic original film means so much to me personally, and I look forward to creating an original movie musical that can bring Mary Poppins -- and her message that childlike wonder can be found in even the most challenging of times -- to a whole new generation."
While no start date for the production has been announced, "Mary Poppins Returns" will be released December 25, 2018.