Top 5 Things We Loved About the “Mary Poppins Returns” Trailer
#5: Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins
When we got our first glimpse of Emily Blunt in costume as the iconic nanny, there was no denying that she looked the part. Blunt has repeatedly proven herself to be a phenomenal actor, but still, stepping into the shoes of Julie Andrews is no small feat - so we approached the film with cautious optimism. No more! Based just on what we’ve seen in this trailer, Blunt has blown us away in the role. Her grand entrance was shiver-inducing. In under two and a half minutes, Blunt manages to exude all of Poppins’ charms, while simultaneously conveying her kindly but stern nature. Thanks to Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins has indeed returned.
#4: Dick Van Dyke & Lin-Manuel Miranda
Though the lovable Bert will sadly not be returning alongside Mary Poppins in this film, we’re thrilled to see that the legendary Dick Van Dyke, now in his 90s, is nonetheless making an appearance. He’ll be playing Mr. Dawes Jr., the son of Mr. Dawes Sr., the latter of which he played in the original film. Though Bert will be missed, there’s something nostalgic and deeply comforting about seeing Van Dyke in this sequel. Of course, Mary still needs a fun-loving companion to partake in her adventures. Meet Jack the lamplighter, a past apprentice of Bert’s, and his spiritual successor, played by none other than the painfully talented, super-endearing and multi-talented, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
#3: The Animation
With 2D animation becoming less prevalent, there was concern that the magical moments mixing live-action and animation from the original film would be CGI-extravaganzas in the sequel. Though there are some CGI moments in the trailer, we’ve got plenty of 2D to love. Plus, the penguins are back! To create the effect of the actors wearing drawings, costume designer Sandy Powell collaborated with animators to match the painting and drawing style, which is “old-fashioned line outlines and watercolors.” Seriously, with the flowers jumping off that decorative bowl, the illustrated carriage ride and dance number, you’ve got a sequel that’s delightfully proud of its heritage.
#2: The Cast
Obviously Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda will be front and center in this sequel, but they’re joined by one seriously talented cast. Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer, who always inspire confidence, play the now grown up Michael and Jane Banks. In supporting roles, we’ve got a veritable who’s who of cherished performers, including Julie Walters, Colin Firth, and Meryl Streep, all of whom, based on the trailer, will be playing delightfully larger-than-life characters. We even get a brief glimpse of the legendary Angela Lansbury, who’s sure to conjure up memories of “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” - if the underwater sequences didn’t already. Disney could have hired young, trendy actors, but they kept it classic and old-fashioned, just as a Mary Poppins film should be.
#1: The Distinctly Nostalgic Style
They don’t make movies like “Mary Poppins” anymore. Live-action family films now tend towards fart jokes and absurdity. But with “Mary Poppins Returns”, we get a return to a more wholesome kind of cinema - one that the whole family, including the parents, can genuinely enjoy. Mary Poppins could have returned in the present day to help the descendants of the Banks family, but instead we only jumped forward 25 years to 1935. Clearly that was the right move. You watch this trailer, so clearly rooted in the past… and it fills you with a sense of warmth. When’s the last time you were able to say that about a contemporary trailer?
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