Top 5 Things We Want to See in “Mary Poppins Returns”

Fans have been waiting a LONG time for this follow-up.  Here are our picks for what we hope to see in this poppin’ film.

#5: Interaction Between Live Action and Animation

The original “Mary Poppins” wasn’t the first film to combine live-action content with animated elements, but it’s surely one of the most memorable. The author famously hated the animation sequence in the film, and though she objected to its inclusion, she was overruled by Disney and we have to say, we’re glad they insisted. Reports have already said that “Mary Poppins Returns” will also include at least some animated scenes, and true fans were thrilled by the news because it would have been easy for the producers to deem the technique too dated to include.

#4: Exploring 1930s London & The Time That’s Passed

When this product was first announced, there was much speculation as to whether the new film would be a reboot, a retelling, a modernization or a sequel. Many were surprised by the news that “Mary Poppins Returns” will be a direct sequel, set approximately 20 years after the events of the first film. Times have changed, because the original took place in 1910, but the new film will be set during the Depression era. We’re excited to see how the political climate plays into the story, if at all, and of course are looking forward to seeing how the characters have changed over the years.

#3: A Fresh Take on Beloved Characters

Of course, Mary Poppins doesn’t age, her special brand of magic surely would have prevented something so ordinary. That means that we’re getting an all new actress to play the titular character with the ever charming Emily Blunt. It’s going to be hard for Blunt to take up the mantle of Julie Andrews’ much-loved character, and we can only hope that the end result is something that feels new and yet still harkens back to the original. As faras seeing the Banks children all grown up, we’re hoping that they stay true to the distinctive personalities that they displayed in the original film.

#2: Cameos From The Original Cast

In super unfortunate news, Julie Andrews has confirmed that she will not be appearing in any way in the upcoming sequel, despite how much the fans might want it. Her reasoning is sound though, she says she doesn’t want to take away from Emily Blunt’s role as the new Mary Poppins. Despite that, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that some other members of the original cast will make at least cameo appearances. Thankfully, we already know that Dick Van Dyke will be reprising one of his roles in the movie, but it’s not the one you think!

#1: Incredible Songs & Choreography

When you look at the track listing for the soundtrack of the original “Mary Poppins”, you realize that not only did it have iconic and memorable songs like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “A Spoonful of Sugar” but that almost every song on there is one that brings back fond childhood memories. Luckily, the sequel will also be a musical, and with Lin-Manuel Miranda of “Hamilton” fame in a starring role, we can only imagine that we’ll get reprisals of old classics as well as new songs to rival them. In the original, dance was almost as important as the songs themselves, so we’re really hoping that the new film features musical sequences that are just as impressive.

Are you as stoked as us? What do you want to see in the new Mary Poppins?