How Mary Poppins Returns weaves the magic of the original film into the production

We’re just two weeks away from the return of Disney’s most iconic nanny in Mary Poppins Returns. The movie picks up 25 years after the original, but 50 years later in the real world. This presented a big challenge, how to continue the story in a way that feels natural to the original.

The Walt Disney Studios released a special video featurette trailer that looks at how the production weaves the two stories together. From recreating Cherry Tree Lane, down to recasting the original Banks Children

A new “Pish Posh” featurette goes in depth with Emily Blunt and how she arrived at her take on the iconic character of Mary Poppins:

As producer Marc Platt says, “The magic, the optimism, the emotion, the hope and the joy the Mary Poppins brings are all the things we’re looking for in our lives today. We want to be uplifted and transported and entertained. We want to be moved. We want to laugh and we want to cry. And ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ delivers all that…and more.”

This may be a new story, but the magic of the original is woven into the fabric of the new film. I can’t wait until you get a chance to see it.

About “Mary Poppins Returns”:

In Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns,” an all new original musical and sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives following a personal loss. Emily Blunt stars as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any ordinary task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure and Lin-Manuel Miranda plays her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets of London.

“Mary Poppins Returns” is directed by Rob Marshall. The screenplay is by David Magee and the screen story is by Magee & Rob Marshall & John DeLuca based upon the Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers. The producers are John DeLuca, p.g.a., Rob Marshall, p.g.a. and Marc Platt, p.g.a. with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer. The music score is by Marc Shaiman and the film features all new original songs with music by Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. The film also stars Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; Julie Walters as the Banks’ housekeeper Ellen; Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and introducing Joel Dawson as the Banks’ children, with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank’s William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary’s eccentric cousin, Topsy. Angela Lansbury appears as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from the PL Travers books and Dick Van Dyke is Mr. Dawes, Jr., the retired chairman of the bank now run by Firth’s character.

See Mary Poppins Returns in Theatres December 19th and download the soundtrack December 7th