It takes a whole lot of guts to take on a beloved film that is just as popular today as it was when it first premiered in 1964. But that is the task that Disney put in their sights and now they have a beginning gauge on how it has been received.
Mary Poppins Returns screened earlier this week, and the first of the reactions from a select audience are now available online. For those of you who don’t know, (not sure who THAT might be) Mary Poppins Returns is the long-belated sequel to Robert Stevenson’s iconic Disney film. It starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, and was based on the book written by P.L. Travers. Of course, Travers’ book was only the first two of eight tales in the Mary Poppins series. The sequel draws its story from the other six.
In order to pull off such a Herculean effort, the studio procurred the best talent they could find for the project. This includes Emily Blunt as the title character along with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, and a multitude of others both in front of and behind the camera. But before Disney puts the movie out for public consumption, they decided to give an exclusive preview to the main conduit to their audiences, a collection of theatre owners.
The first screening was presented at the NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) fall summit earlier this week in Los Angeles. After that viewing, a handful of viewers responses to the movie have surfaced online (via Deadline). At first blush, it seems that, Mary Poppins Returns made a successful impression on those who have commented and deemed it “a worthy sequel to the original 1964 film.”
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that these ARE Theater Owners and it would make little sense for them to blast a movie they want audiences to come to their establishments to see. Nonetheless it is a first positive step for the film which will be released on December 19th 2018. It is Directed by Rob Marshall and adapted for the screen by David Magee.
Are you looking forward to Disney’s bold attempt at a sequel to the Julie Andrews classic? Do you think that Emily Blunt can fill the title of “practically perfect in every way?” Share your “spoon full of sugar” or “spoon full of vinegar” with us at GVNation.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
