Entertainment

Clues You Might've Missed About 'Mary Poppins Returns'

by Amy Roberts

Oh my goodness, you guys, Entertainment Weekly has shared the official first images from Mary Poppins Returns, and they're practically perfect in every way. Providing glimpses of cast members Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda in costume, as well as what look like the settings of some truly heart-stopping musical numbers, this first look is beyond exciting. And if you're the type of person who loves to overanalyze these sorts of things, then you're in good company, because I think there's actually a few clues about Mary Poppins Returns hidden in these images. Ones that could reveal tiny details about the potential plot, characters, themes, and musical performances that fans might be able to look forward to in the movie.

With Mary Poppins Returns set to be released on Dec. 25, 2018, we might have a bit of a wait before you finally get to enjoy the movie. But that isn't going to stop me from excitedly speculating over even the tiniest of details. The fact that Mary Poppins Returns is a sequel to the 1964 Disney classic, rather than a reboot of it, also imbues certain details within these images with even bigger significance.

So, let's open this bottomless bag of wonder and start pulling out all of the many treats that may be hiding within it.

1

The Significance Of Light

There's two things to know about with this particular image. The first is that Mary Poppins Returns is set in 1935, during the dark, bleak era of the Great Depression, and the second is that Miranda's character is Jack, a lamplighter. What this picture appears to reveal is a roaring musical number surrounding the hugely symbolic idea of lighting the path for people. Literally in Jack's sense, and metaphorically in Mary's, who returns to the Bank family home to help them through the grief of a tragedy (reportedly, a bereavement). And she may well provide the light they need to get through it.

2

This Magical Glimpse Of People (Possibly) In Flight

Behold, this charming image, which definitely recalls the whimsical way in which Poppins flew in the first movie. It's interesting to note that the character was capable of taking flight, thanks to her trusty umbrella, and that said umbrella appears to be folded up and not in use in this particular shot. But that's not to say she won't open it up, and use it afterward. It definitely looks as though Poppins, Jack, and the kids are jumping here, but I'm absolutely banking on a moment in which they take flight from one of those jumps too.

3

The Just-Visible Return Of An Iconic Item

At first glance, this image is simply a charming glimpse of Jane and Michael Banks (played by the enigmatic Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw), and two of the younger generation of the family hanging with Michael's two children. But upon further inspection, it looks as though Poppins' iconic bottomless bag of tricks is just out of shot on the floor (you can see what looks like the top of it at the bottom of the screen), and in her hand is some kind of an item that one of the Banks children looks very taken with. I have no idea what it is, but I do know that if it's from Poppins' bag, it must be very special indeed.

4

There May Be A Whole Lotta Streep To Look Forward To

Meryl Streep, ladies and gentlemen, who's playing Topsy Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns (Mary's cousin). And while there aren't too many clues to pick up on in this behind-the-scenes shot, it's worth noting that she is the one clearly enchanting everyone with her voice in this photo, which suggests that there's at least one Streep-led song to look forward to in the movie.

Also relevant, though, is the lamp beside her, which looks identical to the one in the background of the previous image, in the Banks home. With that in mind, it could be that Streep's song takes place in that location and that the lamp is an important prop for it, with light (once again) being a theme.

5

Admiral Boom May Return, But Mr. Binnacle May Not

In this concept art, Cherry Tree Lane looks just as stunning and picturesque as I remember it, including the ship on top of Admiral Boom and Mr. Binnacle's house. This makes me think that we'll definitely be paying another fun-filled visit to this location in Mary Poppins Returns. A possibility that makes even more sense when you find out that veteran actor David Warner was cast as Boom in the movie.

Interestingly (and sadly), nobody was cast as Binnacle, though. Could it be that Boom is suffering his own bereavement of his old Navy pal and might help the Banks family through their own grief? Because that sounds like I might need to bring a family-sized box of tissues along to the theater with me, if so.

I can't believe we have to wait so long to see this movie. But also, I'm happy to be patient for it. Because judging from these pictures, Mary Poppins Returns is looking like a faithfully winsome sequel to the classic original.