'Mary Poppins’ Sequel Cast Now Includes Colin Firth Along With Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep [VIDEO]
ByMore than five decades later, the classic musical "Mary Poppins" finally gets a sequel, and it already is promising as latest line-up includes Academy award winning and quintessential British actor Colin Firth to play the character of the bank president.
Firth is in talks to join Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep along with actor Ben Whishaw, Lin Manuel Miranda, and Emily Mortimer for the sequel of the favorite film "Marry Poppins," The Guardian reported. He will be casted as William Weatherall Wilkins, the president of the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank.
Golden Globes winner Emily Blunt will play the magical nanny Marry Poppins while three-time Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep will play Topsy, Poppins' cousin. Actors Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer will play the characters of the grown-up Michael and Jane Banks, Variety reported.
In the original movie, which the titular character was played by Julie Andrews, the bank is where the stern father, Mr. Banks', works and is continually harassed. The sequel will play on Britain's 1930's Great Depression where the all grown Banks' children will get a surprise visit from their beloved magical nanny after a family loss.
Director Rob Marshall, known for musical films "Chicago" and "Into the Woods" and Japanese film "Memoirs of a Geisha," will take the helm and will co-produce the film with John DeLuca and Mark Platt. David Magee will write the screenplay and base it on P.L. Travers' "The Marry Poppins Stories."
Composer Marc Shaiman and song writer Scott Wittman will be in charge of the original songs and the new score for the film. Disney's "Marry Poppins Returns" will return to theatre on Dec. 25, 2018.
Firth, who recently revealed his ginger hair almost made it impossible for him to get hired as an actor, is also set to reprise his role in "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," and will soon be seen in the film "The Mercy." He has just finished promoting his films "Genius" and "Bridget Jones's Baby."