A 'Mary Poppins Returns' Sequel Is Reportedly In The Works, So Hold Onto Your Umbrella

It took 54 years, three months, three weeks, and two days for Disney to get around to making a sequel to the beloved Mary Poppins film. Mary Poppins Returns opened over the holiday weekend and did pretty well at the box office. (Though in the race between it and Aquaman, it was no contest: The fish won.) Poppins may not have been the biggest smash hit of 2018, but it was apparently good enough Disney isn't going to wait another 54 years to make another one. There's already a Mary Poppins Returns sequel in the works, which is reportedly coming from director Rob Marshall.

Though I said above Mary Poppins Returns didn't beat out Aquaman, the box office haul so far has been impressive. The film brought in $23 million over opening weekend, and has so far bought in $141 million at the domestic box office, with a current total of $260 million worldwide, with the film still playing in wide release. Considering back in the day, the original Mary Poppins only brought in $141 million total worldwide, that's a hefty jump, even adjusting for inflation.

With such good numbers, it should surprise no one Marshall is heading back to the P.L. Travers series to pull forth another script. (There are eight Poppins novels altogether, meaning there's still a wealth of material to use.)

Disney has not made anything official yet, and most likely won't while the film is still raking in the cash at the ticket counter. But while speaking to The Sun at the BAFTA Tea Party event earlier this week, Marshall confirmed he was in the early stages of putting together the third installment.

It is early stages, but I will say right now that there were eight books, so there’s a lot of great material still to mine. That’s what we worked from, those incredible eight books of P.L. Travers. So, you know... Listen, how many Star Wars films have there been, you know what I mean? Or James Bond films. If there’s a great character and story to tell, why not?

As for if Emily Blunt would go along with it, producer John DeLuca believes she will.

Emily does light up when she speaks to me about it. And if the people want it, I think it will happen.

Mary Poppins Returns held a great many references to Travers' original sequel Mary Poppins Comes Back, including the Royal Doulton Bowl, Topsy Turvy, and the Balloon Lady. The next book in the series is called Mary Poppins Opens The Door, which Marshall has already referenced.

The third book begins when Poppins pops out of a firework on Guy Fawkes Night and lands in the park, leading the Banks children home. Some of the adventures from the book include a statue who comes to life and befriends the children, a ride on peppermint horses, and meeting another Poppins relation, Fred Twigley, who works as a piano tuner and music box maker.

With so many stories still to be explored, more Mary Poppins is sure to follow.