As a part of the Disney live-action portion of the D23 Expo, we got to learn a little bit more about Mary Poppins Returns. So far, the mass public has seen only promotional images, so everyone was on edge to see some real footage, which would be a first for everyone in attendance. The film is considered a sequel to the original, with Emily Blunt now playing the titular character. In it, we will see her help the Banks family in their desperate time of need once more. Director Rob Marshall joined Blunt on the stage to talk about the film and share the very first footage.

The film takes place 25 years after the original where a grown-up Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) is now an artist and banker, while Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer) is now a union organizer. But the sudden death of Michael leaves that Banks family reeling, and it is up to Mary Poppins (Blunt) to bring Michael’s children Annabel (Pixie Davies), Georgie (Joel Dawson), and John (Nathanael Saleh), together and find the light they have lost. The film also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury, Julie Walters, and Colin Firth.

While it still very early to share anything of any significance, Blunt and Marshall spoke about their approach to the sequel. “I needed to try to pay homage to Julie Andrews, but carve out a new space for myself. And we were very loyal to the books,” said Blunt. Marshall shared, “I was incredibly honored to be approached by Disney about directing a sequel. This is a brand new original film musical from top to bottom, which is very rare, and it is a wonderful opportunity to create something specifically for the screen.”

After they spoke, we were treated to our very first look of the film, which you can see in the Facebook embed, below.

Here’s the official plot synopsis:

Mary Poppins Returns is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in PL Travers’ additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children and their housekeeper, Ellen (Julie Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Meryl Streep).

Mary Poppins Returns opens in theaters on December 25th, 2018.

[Source: Facebook]