The return of Mary Poppins: why did this film take more than 50 years to see the light of day?

Released in cinemas in 2018, the movie called Mary Poppins Returns, worn by Emily Blunt in the title rolewill be broadcast on Sunday, May 1, 2022, from 9:05 p.m. on 6ter. Directed by Rob Marshallthis feature film is in fact the sequel to the film Mary Poppins, released in 1964, itself adapted from the novel of the same name by Pamela L. Travers. The story takes place in London in the 1930s. Michael Banks, played on screen by Ben Whishawstill lives in her childhood home, allée des Cerisiers, with her three children, Annabel, John and Georgie, and with her sister Jeanne, performed by Emily Mortimersince the death of his wife the previous year.

Michael took out a loan from bank manager William Weatherall Wilkins, played by Colin Firthwho sends his associates to tell him that they will take possession of his house if the loan is not repaid by the coming Friday. Michael and Jeanne recall that their father left them shares in the bank which would enable them to cover the loan. They then start looking all over the house for the stock certificate. During the search, Michael finds his childhood kite but decides to get rid of it. While the three children are playing in the park, Georgie finds the kite and lets it fly away. Mary Poppins descends from the sky, with the kite in hand. She takes the children home and says she will take on the role of nanny. She makes them run a bath in which they experience underwater adventures.

The return of Mary Poppins: a first sequel project aborted at the end of the 80s

If this sequel took more than 50 years to see the light of day in cinemas, it’s mainly because of Pamela L. Travers. Already very reluctant to see her novel be adapted into a film, the author was not satisfied with the feature film produced by Disney studios, even though Mary Poppins had won no less than 5 Oscars. For many years, several sequel projects were offered to Pamela L. Travers, who turned them all down. It was at the end of the 1980s that the sequel to Mary Poppins almost saw the light of daybut it was finally canceled due to difficulties encountered during the casting phase, and the change of direction at the head of the Disney studios. The screenplay would remain unfinished after the death of Pamela L. Travers in 1996. This sequel project Mary Poppins will finally be relaunched in 2015, before being finalized in 2018.

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