This would be practically perfect casting! Into the Woods star Emily Blunt is circling Disney's new live-action musical film of Mary Poppins, reports The Wrap. The actress would reunite with her Woods director Rob Marshall on the project, which will be set in London around twenty years after the much-loved original.
Blunt made her professional debut on stage opposite Judi Dench in The Royal Family. Along with Into the Woods, her multiple screen credits include Boudica, My Summer of Love, Gideon's Daughter, The Devil Wears Prada, The Young Victoria, The Adjustment Bureau, Edge of Tomorrow, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Gulliver's Travels, Gnomeo & Juliet, The Five-Year Engagement, Sicario and The Huntsman: Winter's War.
Finding Neverland screenwriter David Magee is set to pen the film, while Smash and Hairspray songwriting duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will compose a new score and original songs.
The new Poppins movie will focus on the other tales in author P.L. Travers’ 1934-1988 children’s book series; the 1964 Julie Andrews movie was mostly based on the first of these.
The producers of the new film, John DeLuca and Marc Platt, have serious pedigree—they also both collaborated on Into the Woods. DeLuca additionally worked with Marshall on Nine; Platt is one of Wicked’s producers and was also behind Grease: Live for Fox.
The stage adaptation of Mary Poppins played 2,619 performances on Broadway 2006 through 2013.