Disney’s upcoming Mary Poppins sequel, Mary Poppins Returns, is shaping up to be an Into the Woods reunion, as Oscar winner Meryl Streep is in talks to join actress Emily Blunt, producers Marc Platt and John DeLuca, and director Rob Marshall on the film.
Variety first reported the news and claims that Streep will be playing Topsy, a cousin to Blunt’s Poppins who wasn’t in 1964’s Mary Poppins. A version of the character did, however, pop up in 1935’s book Mary Poppins Comes Back, as a maid named Topsy Turvey. Similar to her work in Into the Woods and Mamma Mia, the part will require Streep to do some singing, a talent she has been more than capable of lending in the past.
Hamilton superstar and recent Tony-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda has already signed on to play Jack, a role that will surely jump start his film career now that he’s a household name due to the massive success of his Broadway show.
The casting news comes just a few days after Streep took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in support of Hillary Clinton as the next presidents of the United States. Additionally, her latest film, Florence Foster Jenkins, is set for its US release in just two weeks.
David Magee is penning the movie’s screenplay, which is, of course, based on P.L. Travers’ famous books. The movie still won’t be hitting theaters for about another two and a half years, as it is slated for release on December 25th, 2018.