Aside from a Trump presidency, the very last thing the world needs is another film sequel, much less a sequel to Disney’s beloved 1964 classic Mary Poppins. With that said, the studio’s casting decisions have been inspired thus far, and may prove to be the spoonful of sugar that helps Mary Poppins Returns go down. According to The Hollywood Reporter, charming British actor Ben Whishaw has just hopped aboard the Rob Marshall-directed film, joining an impressive (and immediately likable) cast that already includes Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Meryl Streep.
Whishaw, who’s probably best known for his work as Q in the recent Bond movies, has recently appeared in the quirky indie romance The Lobster as well as the BBC miniseries London Spy. He’ll apparently play the role of a grown-up Michael Banks, who experiences a personal loss and reunites with his sister Jane, thus prompting Mary Poppins (Blunt) and the lamplighter Jack (Miranda) to return to help the family.
The film will shoot in early 2017 and is scheduled to hit theaters on Christmas Day 2018.