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Principal photography has commenced on Walt Disney Studio’s Mary Poppins Returns at the U.K.’s Shepperton Studios, Disney announced Friday. The much-anticipated sequel to Disney’s 1964 classic Mary Poppins stars Emily Blunt as the eponymous magical nanny created by author P.L. Travers, taking over the role from Oscar-winner Julie Andrews. The sequel co-stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth and Meryl Streep. Young actors Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and Joel Dawson play the three new Banks children. The original film’s co-star, Dick Van Dyke, who is 91, is also set to appear. Rob Marshall directs the film from a screenplay by David Magee, and also serves as producer alongside John DeLuca and Marc Platt. Tony Award winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman have written new songs for the film, with Shaiman also composing the original score. Set in Depression-era London of the 1930s, “Mary Poppins Returns” sees Michael and Jane Banks (Whishaw and Mortimer) now grown up. After Michael suffers a personal loss, Mary Poppins re-enters the lives of the Banks family and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Many thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.
