Just yesterday, Entertainment Weekly lifted the lid on Disney’s long-rumored sequel to Mary Poppins, and already we have news of the actresses that have landed high on the company’s wishlist for the coveted title role. While bookmakers lobbied for the likes of Anne Hathaway, Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep and even Into the Woods alum Anna Kendrick, Den of Geek reports that it is Emily Blunt emerging as an early frontrunner for the part.
The House of Mouse is yet to release anything official, so it’s unclear how far along these talks are – if at all – though with Chicago‘s Rob Marshall already installed as director, the company is beginning to fast-track its musical follow-up to the 1964 classic. As a matter of fact, Marshall has already drafted in regular cohorts to help bring the adorned work of PL Travers to a new generation, in a tale that would involve the titular, magical nanny returning to visit the Banks family in Depression-era London.
Indeed, Travers expanded on the character of the title nanny across a series that stretched from 1934 and 1988. For Disney’s sequel, it’s understood that Miss Poppins will be paying a visit to the Banks family in Depression-era London.
That’t not the only news nugget with Blunt’s name on it, however. With the actress garnering praise for her turn in Denis Villeneuve’s hard-boiled narcotics thriller Sicario, Blunt has been doing the press rounds for the soon-to-be-released actioner, and in an interview with Collider, the star touched base on those longstanding rumors that have linked her with the role of Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel.
EMILY BLUNT: No one has approached me as Captain Marvel! I have received not one phone call about Captain Marvel.
Collider: But you do know the character?
BLUNT: I don’t know who she is. I’m sorry [laughs]. I don’t know comic book characters. They’re not my forte.
Smoke and mirrors, or genuine denial? Who knows. The latest actress to be linked with the character is Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation‘s starlet Rebecca Ferguson, but Marvel is yet to comment on her possible casting.
As for Disney’s Mary Poppins sequel, Emily Blunt is an easy decision for the company to make, considering the actress’ prestigious track record and her working relationship with director Rob Marshall after Into the Woods. All we need now is official confirmation.