It’s been more than 50 years since we last saw Mary Poppins, flying off on the wind with her magic umbrella. But now she is back in the appropriately titled Mary Poppins Returns, with Emily Blunt assuming the title role from Julie Andrews, and Lin-Manuel Miranda in place of Dick Van Dyke (he’s not playing the same character, but we’re guessing he’s gonna sweep a chimney or two)...
When word got out that Emily Blunt had been cast as the title character in Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns, the overwhelming response from most people was, “Well, sure.” Blunt has proven herself to be genre agnostic over the years, as likely to wow audiences in a science-fiction or action film as she is in a light-hearted comedy. That alone would make her an ideal candidate for Mary Poppins — as the rare actress capable of convincing audiences that she’d do justice to an iconic character — but she also bears a physical resemblance to Julie Andrews to boot. You couldn’t ask for better casting.