‘Mary Poppins’ Sequel Adds ‘Hamilton’ Superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda
Disney’sMary Poppinssequel seems like kind of a tough sell. How many people have really been clamoring for a new take on that childhood classic? But its cast, at least, is unimpeachable.Emily Bluntis in the title role, and nowHamiltonmastermindLin-Manuel Mirandais looking to star alongside her as the Bert equivalent.
Varietybroke the news. Miranda is in talks for the role of Jack, a lamplighter similar to the Bert character from the 1964Mary Poppins. He’s also expected to help develop new music. Disney’sMary Poppinsproject is a sequel that picks up about 20 years after the events of the first film, in Depression-era London. Pulling fromP.L. Travers' original novels, the film will chronicle the further adventures of that “practically perfect” nanny.
Miranda has been blowing up Broadway with the Revolutionary War era hip-hop musicalHamilton. (Trust me, those elements all make more sense together than you’d think they would.) Not only does he star as Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, he also wrote the script and songs. Prior to that, Miranda created and starred in another hit Broadway production,In the Heights.
Although he’s best known for his stage work, Miranda’s also done film and TV projects. He already has a strong relationship with Disney, having written the new cantina song forStar Wars: The Force Awakensand composed original music forMoana.
Rob Marshall(Into the Woods) is directing theMary Poppinsmovie, which is being produced byJohn DeLucaandMarc Platt. No release date has been announced, but Disney has several dates reserved over the next few years for its various live-action fairy tale projects, and it seems likelyMary Poppinswill take one of them.
While we wait to learn more, now is the perfect time to get hooked onHamilton(if you aren’t already) and then recoil in horror when you realize how much it costs to buy tickets for this damn thing. Suddenly a $15 movie ticket to see Miranda in theMary Poppinssequel sounds like an amazing bargain.
