Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Poppins Returns is a 2018 live-action fantasy musical film directed by Rob Marshall with a screenplay written by David Magee and John DeLuca. Based on the book series Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers, the film is a sequel to the 1964 film of the same name. Set in 1930s London, twenty-five years after the events of the original film, the film sees Mary Poppins, the former nanny of Jane and Michael Banks, returning one year after a family tragedy.
Walt Disney Pictures announced the film in September 2015 and Marshall was hired later that month. Principal photography lasted from February to July 2017, and took place at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England. Mary Poppins Returns held its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on November 29, 2018 and the film was released on December 19, 2018.
==Synopsis==
In 1935 London, at the height of the Great Depression, a grown-up Michael Banks is still living in his parents' home as a widower with his children John, Annabel, and Georgie plus housekeeper Ellen. Michael's sister Jane is there as well, trying to help her brother handle things around the house. Two lawyers from Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, Hamilton Gooding and Templeton Frye, show up to leave a notice of repossession on the front door. They explain that because Michael has failed to pay back a loan, his house is to be taken by the bank unless he pays it back by Friday at midnight. Michael remembers that his father kept a certificate of ownership to some shares in the bank, and he goes upstairs to find them, but he starts to worry about handling things without his wife Kate around. Jane joins him upstairs to help look for the certificate, but they instead find an old kite from their childhood, which Michael dismisses as garbage.
The children go off to the shop when the kite blows away and catches Georgie's eye. He runs after the kite but is pulled away by the wind, and John and Annabel run after him. Georgie is caught by Jack, who helps him fly the kite properly but gets pulled in by the wind. The clouds then separate, and to their surprise, down comes Mary Poppins floating with the kite. She addresses the children by their names and greets Jack, knowing him as an apprentice of Bert the chimney sweep. Mary then guides the children back home.
Upon returning to the Banks' home, Michael and Jane are stunned to see Mary having come back after all these years and having not aged a single day. She tells them she has returned to look after the Banks children and heads up to her room to settle down. Michael and Jane remember Mary but aren't sure if all the magic they witnessed was real.
Mary has the children take a bath, who are covered in filth from running around through the park. She adds a magical soap to the water and has the children jump in to be taken to an underwater world, leaving the children in awe.
Michael and Jane go to the bank to speak to its president, William Weatherall Wilkins to discuss the matter of George Banks's shares that could help save the house. Wilkins looks through his documents but claims to find nothing relating to the Banks family. He assures Michael and Jane that he will continue to look, but after they leave, he tears out the page with the Banks share certificate and throws the document in the fireplace.
That night, as Mary is talking to Jack, the children discuss selling their mother's China bowl to save their house. The three have an argument over it, which leads to them dropping and cracking it. Mary picks it up and shows the children that the man drawn on the bowl is talking to them because they damaged his carriage. Mary spins the bowl and transports herself, Jack, and the children into the animated world of the bowl. They meet the coachman Shamus who is a dog, and his horse Clyde. After fixing the carriage, Mary, Jack, and the children join Shamus on a carriage ride as they head to the Royal Doulton Music Hall.
The group arrives at the music hall where Mary and Jack put on a song performance with the other animal characters. Georgie gets distracted by something outside, and he sees William Weatherall Wilkins as the wolf, Mr. Gooding as the badger & Mr. Frye as the weasel taking the family's possessions away. They kidnap Georgie, prompting John and Annabel to go save him. The kids chase the villains through the bowl until they reach the edge. The wolf cracks the bowl and causes the children to fly over the edge of the bowl.
Georgie wakes up as he was supposedly having a nightmare. Mary comforts him and his siblings as they miss their mother, assuring them that she lives on in their hearts.
The next day, Mary and Jack take the children to get the bowl fixed at a shop owned by Mary's eccentric cousin Topsy. Mary forgot that they arrived on a second Wednesday, which means things go literally upside down for Topsy. With Mary's help, Topsy and the children are able to see things from a new perspective. Topsy agrees to fix the bowl, but she tells the children it's not worth much, and that their mother calling it "priceless" probably just meant that it was worth much to her.
After leaving the shop, the group runs into Jane on the street as she is helping organize a rally for labor workers. Jack escorts her since he's had a crush on her since they were children. Mary and the children go to the bank to find Michael, but the children head on up to Wilkins' office where Georgie overhears him plotting to take not only their house but the homes of other people in London as well. The children burst into his office, threaten to expose him to their father, and run down to the lobby. When the children find Michael, Wilkins denies anything about a plan to take the house, leaving Michael angry at Georgie for nearly getting him in trouble.
Mary and Jack walk the children back home and they run into Jack's lamp-lighting buddies, who help guide them home in song while also showing them how to speak their lingo. When they get home, Michael appears distressed amid his worries about losing the house. The children try to cheer him up and echo Mary's words to him regarding their mother.
The next night, the family has packed all their belongings and is preparing to head out. The neighbors gather around to say goodbye. Georgie then brings out the kite, and Michael takes a look to see that it's been patched up with a drawing he made of his wife and kids. When he looks closer, he sees that the drawing was made on the certificate that he had been looking for. They see that they have seven minutes to midnight, which means they won't make it before the deadline, so Mary, Jack, and the lamplighters gather to turn back time for the Banks family.
Michael and Jane rush to the bank while the lamplighters gather around Big Ben and try to get Jack up to the top to reach and turn back the hands. He gets inside and dims the lights so nobody can see what they are doing. Meanwhile, Wilkins is waiting with Gooding and Frye for midnight to claim the Banks' home. Mary floats up to the clock just before striking midnight, and she turns the time back five minutes. Thinking the time is wrong, Wilkins continues to wait as Michael and Jane try to get his attention with the kite. The wind blows it inside his office, and Frye lets them into the building. The children join them as they try to put the pieces together, but they are missing the piece with the signatures, which Georgie threw out. Feeling they have lost, Michael hits back at Wilkins and says he can take the house because he still has his family. Just then, as luck would have it, Wilkins' uncle, Mr. Dawes, Jr. comes back from his travels and criticizes his nephew for his dirty deeds against the people of London. Dawes comes back to take over after firing Wilkins, telling Michael that he knew his father and agreed that he made some good investments, so the shares will be enough to pay off the loan, and the family can keep their house.
The following day, the family goes out to the park where Michael encounters an old woman selling balloons, who tells him to pick the right balloon. Michael admits that he hasn't held a balloon since he was a boy, and the Balloon Lady tells him that he's forgotten what it's like to be a child. He then grabs a balloon, which sends him floating in the air and the children follow suit along with the other park patrons including Jack, who believes that he is now part of the Lovely London Sky. Wilkins attempts to join but grabs the wrong balloon, which falls to the floor while the Banks family floats among others, feeling happy and childlike.
As the family returns home, a gust of wind opens the front door, which Mary Poppins senses and feels that the time has come for her to leave. Michael and Jane remember that Mary Poppins planned to leave after the door opened but quietly thank her for coming back into their lives. Jack rides his bike around town again, and Mary floats up to the skies on her umbrella to return to her realm, taking one last look behind her and smiling.
==Cast==
*Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins
*Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack
*Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks
*Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks
*Nathanael Saleh as John Banks
*Pixie Davies as Annabel Banks
*Joel Dawson as Georgie Banks
*Julie Walters as Ellen
*Colin Firth as William Weatherall Wilkins
*Meryl Streep as Topsy
*Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Jr.
*Angela Lansbury as The Balloon Lady
*David Warner as Admiral Boom
*Jim Norton as Mr. Binnacle
*Jeremy Swift as Hamilton Gooding
*Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Templeton Frye
*Tarik Frimpong as Angus
*Noma Dumezweni as Penny Farthing
*Steve Nicolson as The Park Keeper
*Sudha Bhuchar as Miss Lark
===Voices===
*Edward Hibbert as the Parrot Umbrella
*Colin Firth as a wolf in the animated Royal Doulton Bowl sequence
*Jeremy Swift as a badger in the animated Royal Doulton Bowl sequence
*Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as a weasel in the animated Royal Doulton Bowl sequence
*Chris O'Dowd as Shamus, the Coachman Dog in the animated Royal Doulton Bowl sequence
*Mark Addy as Clyde, the Horse in the animated Royal Doulton Bowl sequence
==Music==
The music and score for the film was composed by Marc Shaiman with song lyrics written by Scott Wittman. The complete soundtrack album was released by Walt Disney Records on December 7, 2018.
==Releases==
===International Premieres===
*November 29, 2018 (Los Angeles)
*December 19, 2018 (Canada, France, Netherlands, United States)
*December 20, 2018 (Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal)
*December 21, 2018 (Bulgaria, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland)
*December 25, 2018 (Denmark, Finland, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Sweden)
*December 27, 2018 (Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Ukraine)
*December 28, 2018 (Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, South Africa, Turkey)
*January 1, 2019 (Australia)
*January 3, 2019 (Russia)
*January 8, 2019 (Philippines)
*January 24, 2019 (Argentina)
*January 31, 2019 (Hong Kong)
*February 1, 2019 (Japan, Taiwan)
===Home media===
The film was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 19, 2019.
==Reception==
The film received an approval rating of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 376 reviews with an average rating of 7.30/10. The review aggregator website’s consensus reads, "Mary Poppins Returns relies on the magic of its classic forebear to cast a familiar – but still solidly effective – family-friendly spell."
===Accolades===
The film received four nominations for an Academy Award for Best Original Score for Marc Shaiman, Academy Award for Best Original Song for Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman ("The Place Where Lost Things Go"), Academy Award for Best Production Design for John Myhre and Gordon Sim, and Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Sandy Powell (who also received nominations simultaneously for the period black comedy film, The Favourite in the Best Costume Design category) at the 91st Academy Awards, losing three of its wins to Ryan Coogler's fellow Disney-distributed Marvel superhero film, Black Panther (for the Best Original Score, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design categories) and lost another one of its win for the Best Original Song category to Bradley Cooper's musical romantic drama remake of A Star is Born ("Shallow").
==Gallery==
==Videos==
===Trailers and Clips===
Mary Poppins Returns Official Teaser Trailer
Mary Poppins Returns Official Trailer
Mary Poppins Returns Special Look
"Back to Cherry Tree Lane" Featurette Mary Poppins Returns
Sneak Peek Mary Poppins Returns
Mary Poppins Returns In Theatres December 19
"Royal Doulton Bowl" Clip Mary Poppins Returns
"Can You Imagine That?" Clip Mary Poppins Returns
"It's Wonderful to See You" Clip Mary Poppins Returns
"Trip A Little Light Fantastic" Clip Mary Poppins Returns
"A Cover Is Not The Book" Clip Mary Poppins Returns
"Mr. Dawes Jr." Clip Mary Poppins Returns
"Nowhere To Go But Up" Clip Mary Poppins Returns
Mary Poppins Returns Now Playing
Mary Poppins Returns "The Place Where Lost Things Go" TV Spot
"Pish Posh" Featurette Mary Poppins Returns
"Topsy" Featurette Mary Poppins Returns
"The Story Continues" Featurette Mary Poppins Returns
"Trip A Little Light Fantastic" Featurette Mary Poppins Returns
Trip a Little Light Fantastic (From "Mary Poppins Returns")
"Magic Bathtub" Featurette Mary Poppins Returns
===Interviews===
MARY POPPINS RETURNS Emily Blunt Behind The Scenes Interview
MARY POPPINS RETURNS Lin-Manuel Miranda Behind The Scenes Interview
MARY POPPINS RETURNS "Michael Banks" Behind The Scenes Interview - Ben Whishaw
MARY POPPINS RETURNS "Jane Banks" Behind The Scenes Interview - Emily Mortimer
MARY POPPINS RETURNS "Ellen" Behind The Scenes Interview - Julie Walters
MARY POPPINS RETURNS "Annabel Banks" Behind The Scenes Interview - Pixie Davies
MARY POPPINS RETURNS "John Banks" Behind The Scenes Interview - Nathanael Saleh
MARY POPPINS RETURNS "Georgie Banks" Behind The Scenes Interview - Joel Dawson
MARY POPPINS RETURNS Dick Van Dyke Behind The Scenes Interview
MARY POPPINS RETURNS Angela Lansbury Behind The Scenes Interview
MARY POPPINS RETURNS Colin Firth Behind The Scenes Interview
MARY POPPINS RETURNS Meryl Streep Behind The Scenes Interview
Mary Poppins Returns Interview with Producer John DeLuca
Mary Poppins Returns Interview with Scott Wittman - Songwriter Marc Shaiman - Songwriter Composer
Mary Poppins Returns Interview with Director Rob Marshall 
===Other===
Live at the Mary Poppins Returns World Premiere – Presented by HSN
==Trivia==
*Mary Poppins Returns was the first Mary Poppins film to be filmed in Panavision (anamorphic) for the widescreen 2.39:1 aspect ratio and rated PG by the MPAA, unlike the original film that was rated G.
**Thus, Mary Poppins is also the first Disney live-action franchise where each film is designated a different MPAA rating; the original film was rated G, the biopic Saving Mr. Banks was rated PG-13, and this sequel was rated PG.
*Mary Poppins Returns is Disney's first live-action/traditional animated hybrid film since Enchanted and the first live-action/traditional animated hybrid sequel.
*This film includes some hand drawn animation made by Walt Disney Animation Studios, making it the first time since 2011's Winnie the Pooh to use traditional hand drawn animation.
*Of the 448 original costumes made for the film, Topsy, Mary Poppins' capricious cousin, took the most time out of the costume department: eight people spent five weeks printing and hand painting the design on the front fabric to make six identical versions.
*In the Banks children's nursery, it features pictures of people and dandelions just above the fireplace. This is likely an homage to the fourth book in the Mary Poppins series called Mary Poppins in the Park, where the flying nanny and the Banks children have a tea party with people who live beneath the dandelions.
*Its release date on December 19, 2018; 54 years after 1964's Mary Poppins, sets a new record as the longest gap between live-action film sequels in Disney history. Coincidentally, the original film was released 54 years after the year in which it was set, 1910.
*This film marked the third collaboration between Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep, who previously co-starred together in The Devil Wears Prada and Into the Woods. This time, Blunt takes the leading role while Streep takes the supporting role.
**In addition, this is the second time that Rob Marshall, Emily Blunt, and Meryl Streep collaborated after Into the Woods.
*This is the fourth musical that Marshall directed after Chicago, Nine, and Into the Woods, followed by the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
*Colin Firth, Julie Walters, and Meryl Streep previously worked together on the film version of the ABBA musical Mamma Mia! and its sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
*Ben Whishaw and Julie Walters previously appeared in Paddington and its sequel, Paddington 2. Mary Poppins Returns includes an in-joke reference to this in that one of the only items in the Banks' pantry is marmalade, which was Paddington's favorite food.
*Julie Andrews (the original actress of the title character), turned down a proposed cameo appearance as the Balloon Lady, fearing that it would be too distracting and argued that the sequel should be "Emily's show". Quite poetically, the role went to Angela Lansbury, who was considered for that of the title character in the original film before Julie Andrews was cast. Coincidentally, Andrews was hired to provide the voice of a monster in the superhero film, Aquaman, which was released in the same month of December 2018 after Mary Poppins Returns.
*This is Angela Lansbury's third contribution to a Disney film, after playing Miss Eglantine Price in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Mrs. Potts in the 1991 animated original of Beauty and the Beast. She was also a candidate for the role of Mary Poppins.
**Coincidentally, Emma Thompson played P. L. Travers in the biopic about the production of the first film, Saving Mr. Banks and also played Mrs. Potts in the 2017 live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. In addition, both Lansbury and Thompson also collaborated in Nanny McPhee (2005), as well as played the role of Mrs. Lovett in their respective theater productions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Lansbury portrayed the part in the 1979 Broadway play, whereas Thompson played the part in the 2014 Lincoln Center play).
*At the age of 93 at the time of the film's release, Angela Lansbury is the oldest female actor ever to appear in a Disney film. She is just two months older than the oldest male actor in a Disney film, Dick Van Dyke, who also appears here.
*The construction of Topsy's shop lasted 7 months, it is the most complex decoration of the film. Set designer Gordon Sim and his team scoured antique shops and flea markets in England to find objects to incorporate into the decor. A total of 538 were harvested, along with other items designed by the team or otherwise acquired. All these elements were then bolted and fastened to the ceiling of a true reversed decor, which was then returned. It took 26 weeks to create the scenery of the abandoned park that houses the biggest number of the film and 18 weeks for the Alley Cherry. A total of 8 film sets from the Shepperton studios were used.
*Emily Blunt dove into P.L. Travers' books and found out that the character is remarkably different from Walt Disney's vision and Julie Andrews' characterization in the first movie, so Blunt's interpretation is closer to that of the books.
*Although the original setting of the first three Mary Poppins novels was the 1930s, Walt Disney changed this to the turn of the century for Mary Poppins. This film, set roughly twenty-five years after the first, restores the 1930s setting.
*Karen Dotrice, who played Jane Banks in the original film, made a cameo in this one as the elegant woman who asks Jane and Jack for directions. Her response, "Many thanks, sincerely" is a line from "The Perfect Nanny", a song Dotrice sang in the original film.
*This is the second time for the costume designer, Sandy Powell to designed for a Disney film, the first one being the 2015 live-action adaptation of Cinderella.
*This was the final Disney Film to be released on Netflix, due to the launching of Disney+.
*In the closing credits, Dick Van Dyke is initially identified as Nackvid Keyd before the name corrects itself; this is reprise of the credits gag at the end of the original film.
*This movie was released in the Philippines after it's 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival.
*This was one of David Warner's last roles before his death in July 24, 2022.
===Cameos and other Disney references===
*The car chase animated sequence involving the Banks children with the Wolf, the Weasel and the Badger, bears a resemblance to Cruella De Vil's pursuit in search of the Dalmatian puppies in 1961's One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
**At the same sequence, the Wolf's crazed ripple eyes animation also features the same animation that was displayed on Cruella De Vil's crazed eyes, in their respective villainous breakdown.
*At the very end of the film, when Jack rides away on his bike, features the original chalk painting from the original Mary Poppins that Mary Poppins, Michael, and Jane jumped into within the ground behind Jack's bike.
*Much of the background music within this film contains melodies from the original film, including "The Perfect Nanny", "Let's Go Fly A Kite", "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank", "The Life I Lead", and "A Spoonful of Sugar".
*The Wolf and his shadow was so greedy of meeting with the Banks children is Georgie, the same scene where he shares similarities to Doctor Facilier and his shadow who's being to greedy meeting with Prince Naveen in The Princess and the Frog.
**On this same were they are in the uniform with a hat but the Wolf doesn't have a skull and feather on it didn't made also evil to reveal, Disney animators worked on a new hand drawing character half away through an inspiration on our 2009 villains display, with Doctor Facilier and The Wolf holding with them are such as his cane and his pocket watch might have been different.
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