At the D23expo a very short clip of Emily Blunt dressed up as Mary Poppins was released basically revealing Mary Poppins as she twirls her umbrella over her head. It was barely 20 seconds and Twitter went crazy! People were both excited and disappointed in the remake/sequel but I think it might be ok.

For one, Emily Blunt is a British actress which I think the role needed to be. Getting an American to try and do a British accent just wouldn’t cut it. I also think Emily looks really good as Mary Poppins and has that sort of nanny-esque vibe around her.

But…

Did this really need to be remade/have a sequel? Mary Poppins is a brilliant movie that is a bit dated now, I’ll admit, but it’s still a joy to watch. Julie Andrews is a brilliant actress and Dick Van Dyke is a absolutely draw dropping actor. The songs are extremely catchy and enjoyable to listen to and the storyline is fun and good for both adults and kids.

To recreate all these amazing pieces and bring them together into a film that isn’t overshadowed by the original is something I can see the producers really struggling with. Not only are children into different things these days, but movies are on such a different level in style and substance I don’t know how well it’ll do. Then there’s filling the shoes of Julie Andrews. Emily Blunt is a brilliant actress but there will definitely be plenty of comparisons made and I don’t know if people will get on board with the new Mary. The original is too iconic.

And that’s my issue with Disney at the moment. They’re bringing out so many remakes I don’t think they’ll ever hold up. Beauty and the Beast was just passable same with Cinderella but looking at the new Dumbo things are getting weird and some movies that are too good for a remake are being remade.

I read that the Lion King live action sequence at D23 made audience members cry it was so amazing but I don’t want to believe it until I see it. I think Disney needs to stop looking backwards and concentrate on the future and what new and exciting stories and characters they can bring to the table.

I can’t wait to see the Mary Poppins trailer. I’ll be very interested in seeing where they go with it.

How do you feel about the new Mary Poppins?

Until next time.

Published by shonaharding

Media graduate with a passion for reviewing film and TV. View all posts by shonaharding