Disney fans now have a closer look at Lin-Manuel Miranda’s role as lamplighter Jack in the upcoming Mary Poppins Returns.
Starring the likes of Miranda, Emily Blunt, Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer, Mary Poppins Returns is a sequel to the 1964 classic that starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
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Shared by Empire, the exclusive shot of Manuel shows him channeling his inner Van Dyke as the jovial Jack looks like an updated version of cockney Bert. In the image, Miranda’s Jack is seen entertaining Blunt’s version of Poppins and the movie’s younger cast members.
Jack is thought to be the former apprentice of chimney sweep Bert, and with Dick Van Dyke also confirmed for the sequel, Mary Poppins Returns looks to be more than just an homage to Robert Stevenson’s original.
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As well as creating and starring in Broadway hits like In the Heights and Hamilton, Manuel’s ties to Disney includes his work co-writing the songs for 2016’s Moana. Taking one of the male leads in Mary Poppins Returns is one of Manuel’s biggest roles to date after minor parts in the likes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Following the lives of an older Michael and Jane Banks (Whishaw and Mortimer), Mary Poppins Returns brings back the practically perfect nanny to inject some joy into the adult lives of the children she used to care for. Directed and produced by Rob Marshall (Chicago), the movie hits theaters nationwide on Dec. 25.