Mary Poppins Returns looks like it’ll really be able to capture the magic of the original Julie Andrews classic. The film which sees Poppins returning to the Banks family with Michael and Jane all grown up will be joined by a couple of zany characters including her cousin Topsy played by Meryl Streep and also Jack played by Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda. The latter of which is looking to more or less emulate the role of Bert played by Dick Van Dyke (Who is also in the film as Mr. Dawes Jr.) in the original.
It’s a Mary Poppins sequel so there’s going to be songs and the film looks like it may utilize one of its Broadway musical stars for their musical numbers. Lin-Manuel Miranda has experience in that department under his belt as he brought Hamilton‘s story to life through music styles such as rap and hip hop. So of course, the film should capitalize on this cause nothing seems more appropriate than rapping in the 1930s.
Screen Rant spoke to producer Marc Platt and director Rob Marshall about Miranda on the Mary Poppins Return set. Platt revealed that there will be a rap number performed by Miranda, saying:
“Wonderful song and dance man, wonderful actor, which is what he’s doing in this film. And he inhabits the role of Jack and creates a wholly original character, playing this leerie. And he gets to do all the things that you want to see Lin do. He gets to be charismatic. He gets to bring light into the world. He sings. He dances. And, believe it or not, 1934 music hall style he even gets to do a little rap. It’s quite extraordinary.”
When you put it that way it doesn’t sound too anachronistic plus even if it is, it really is fine. It’s a film about a flying nanny for god’s sake. Miranda is a huge asset and he would definitely bring a lot to this film as he is one multi talented dude. His character would likely play a good companion to Poppins similar to that as Bert as revealed by Marshall in a separate interview on set. He said:
“We were looking for a wonderful companion to Mary Poppins who goes on these adventures, someone with that same spirit, that sort of purity of spirit. This is the first project he chose to do after “Hamilton”, and the contemporary thing was actually very helpful, because we made this film that is set in 1934, in 2018. And oddly enough, he is kind of an everyman, his character, and Lin understands that. The kind of character Dick Van Dyke played, which is the kind of character he’s playing, not a chimney sweep, but a lamplighter, but there are a lot of similarities. At the beginning of the film he’s rapping like he’s a one-man band, which just felt so right for him. “
Yep, this film looks like it’ll try to emulate the magic of the first one and Miranda is something to look out for. Hopefully it’s not a copy-paste affair but this is a sequel not a remake, so no real excuses for that.
Source: Screen Rant
