Lin-Manuel Miranda in Talks to Star Opposite Emily Blunt in ‘Mary Poppins 2’
Lin-Manuel Miranda is reportedly in negotiations to star in Walt Disney Studios' "Mary Poppins 2." Miranda will play alongside Emily Blunt, who is also in talks for the project's lead role portrayed by Julie Andrews in the 1964 original film.
An insider claimed that the movie will feature the now grown-up siblings Michael and Jane Banks, with the former's own children now in need of their own nanny.
The "Hamilton" creator and star is in discussions to portray Jack, a lamplighter who has similar characteristics with the chimney sweeper Bert, who was played by Dick Van Dyke in the original movie. Together with Jack, Mary will "help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing from their lives."
Sources said that the project will be set in London during the Depression era, a time in Edwardian England when Mary's adventures as the Banks children's nanny began. Story lines from P.L. Travers' seven additional "Mary Poppins" books, published between 1935 and 1988, will be adapted.
The original film, which was based on the first "Mary Poppins" book, didn't disappoint in the box office. It earned $100 million and nabbed five Oscars, including one for Andrews as the winner in the best actress category.
Rob Marshall will reportedly direct the sequel from a screenplay written by David Magee. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will compose original songs and an all-new score while Marc Platt and John DeLuca will serve as producers. Disney and Marshall are collaborating with the Travers estate for the project, and
This is not the first time that Miranda, 36, was involved in Disney's projects. He provided the bar scene music for the international hit "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and the musical score for the upcoming animated film "Moana."
"Mary Poppins" composer Richard Sherman is supportive of the planned movie. Sherman composed the original film's famous song like "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with his late brother Robert.
Another 'Mary Poppins' Incarnation
The 2013 flick "Saving Mr. Banks" also featured the story of the "Mary Poppins" series.
The movie starred Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as Walt Disney and Travers, respectively. It told how Disney convinced Travers in the early '60s to give him the movie rights to her books.
The writer didn't want her characters to be adapted on the big screen, but she was pressured to do so when her books stopped selling and she found herself in dire financial circumstances.
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