Disney has just announced that they are developing a “new original live-action musical film” about everyone’s favorite magical nanny, Mary Poppins. I’m relieved to tell you that the new movie will not be a remake of the original. That movie, from 1964, is one of the greatest movies of all time and it would be very difficult to make a new version that could even come close to the brilliance of the original. Disney must have thought the same thing because, according to Entertainment Weekly, “The new Poppins film will take place in Depression-era London, some 20 years after Disney’s classic Mary Poppins, and will draw from existing Poppins tales in the rest of author P.L. Travers’ 1934-1988 children’s book series. The practically perfect 1964 screen adaptation starring Julie Andrews pulled its story primarily from the first installment in Travers’ eight-book series; the new project (which is decidedly not being developed as a sequel) will explore Mary’s further adventures with the Banks family and beyond as illustrated by Travers’ seven additional novels.” Read the Entertainment Weekly article.

I’ve found several other articles that are already speculating on who should play Mary Poppins, like this one here at moviepilot.com that has already decided that Emily Blunt (Into the Woods, The Young Victoria) is the obvious choice to play Mary Poppins. I’m sure, Ms. Blunt would do a fine job in the role, but in my mind there is another actress who is by far the more obvious choice. Amy Adams could play Mary Poppins with ease. She is not only one of today’s most popular leading ladies, but she is also especially gifted at playing colorful characters, such as Giselle in Enchanted, Amelia Earhart in Night at the Museum 2, and Lois Lane in Man of Steele. She has a natural ability to bring storybook characters to life. Amy is my pick but we will just have to wait and see what Disney thinks. Either way, I’m excited to see what Mary Poppins will do when she floats back onto the big screen for a brand new audience.