The prospect of delivering a sequel to an all-time classic over 50 years since the original is a daunting one. And yet there’s plenty to be excited about with Mary Poppins Returns – a perfectly-cast Emily Blunt as the magical nanny, songs by Hairspray duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and Broadway’s biggest star in Lin-Manuel Miranda. Yes, the man who created, wrote and starred in Hamilton is on board as Jack, a lamplighter in the vein of Dick Van Dyke’s chimney sweep from the original.
The film is a major leap for Miranda too, who lent his major musical talents to Moana in 2016, but who has mostly taken on minor actor roles on the big screen. With Poppins and the BBC’s adaptation of His Dark Materials coming up, he’s about to be launched to an even greater level of stardom. Here’s a brand new shot of Miranda as Jack, as seen in the upcoming issue of Empire.
“This is a very fragile world where there’s easily a loss of hope and wonder,” director Rob Marshall told Empire. “A lot of people find those words simplistic, but I think that’s what keeps you going. To tell a story of [the] discovery of joy and magic was a reason I signed on. It’s a time for musicals.”
Read more about Mary Poppins’ return in, er, Mary Poppins Returns when the new issue of Empire hits newsstands on Thursday 6 September.
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