'Mary Poppins Returns': Dick Van Dyke To Join Emily Blunt In Disney's Sequel

We're excited to see how his cockney accent has come along in the past 50 years.

Dick Van Dyke has confirmed he will be appearing in Disney’s upcoming ‘Mary Poppins’ sequel.

In the original 1964 film, the veteran actor starred opposite Julie Andrews as loveable chimney sweep Bert, performing on beloved songs like ‘Chim Chim Cher-ee’, ‘Step In Time’ and ‘Jolly Holiday’.

He’s now revealed that he’ll be appearing in ‘Mary Poppins Returns’, slated for release in 2018.

Open Image Modal
Dick Van Dyke
Matt Sayles/AP

He tells The Hollywood Reporter: “This one supposedly takes place 20 years later and the kids are all grown up.”

Dick also spilled the beans about some of the other stars who’d be appearing, adding: “It’s a great cast - Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury and that guy from ‘Hamilton’.”

Open Image Modal
Angela Lansbury has also bagged a role - her first film role since 2011
Graylock/ABACA USA

We assume “that guy from ‘Hamilton’” relates to Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was confirmed earlier this year to be playing a new character, a lamp-lighter named Jack, who will supposedly fulfill the same purpose as Dick Van Dyke in the original film.

The role of the titular magical nanny, meanwhile, will be played by Emily Blunt, who has already had Julie Andrews’ seal of approval.

Speaking about taking over the iconic role, Emily told Entertainment Weekly: “[Julie Andrews] went, ‘Oh, wonderful!’

“I felt like I wanted to cry. It was lovely to get her stamp of approval. That took the edge off it, for sure.”

Open Image Modal
Dick Van Dyke and Mary Poppins in the original 'Mary Poppins' film
Rex/Shutterstock/Walt Disney Pictures

‘Mary Poppins Returns’ is slated for release on Christmas Day 2018.

The film will take place in the decades after the original film, centring around the children of Jane and Michael Banks, who are now adults.

Film Remakes We Love To Hate
The Stepford Wives (2004)(01 of12)
Open Image Modal
Essentially everyone involved in this remake has since distanced themselves from it, including both Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick, while Frank Oz admitted he “f***ed up” with ‘The Stepford Wives’, which was marred by rumours of on-set fighting and several rewrites during production. (credit:Snap Stills/REX)
Planet Of The Apes (2001)(02 of12)
Open Image Modal
This bizarre shot of an ape superimposed on the Lincoln Memorial probably tells you everything you need to know, really. (credit:20th Century Fox)
Swept Away (2002)(03 of12)
Open Image Modal
Often billed as not just one of the worst remakes, but one of the worst films ever, ‘Swept Away’ is truly a low for both Madonna and her then-husband Guy Ritchie, scooping an arguably impressive (depending on how you look it) five Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Film, Worst Screen Couple and Worst Director. (credit:Screen Gems/Everett/REX)
Alfie (2004)(04 of12)
Open Image Modal
Seriously, Jude Law. What *was* it all about? (credit:Nils Jorgensen/REX)
Annie (2014)(05 of12)
Open Image Modal
Despite an all-star cast and the backing of Jay-Z and Will Smith, ‘Annie’ was savaged by critics, with Entertainment Weekly branding the soundtrack an ‘AutoTuned disaster’, although Quvenzhané Wallis was largely praised for her performance. (credit:Columbia Pictures)
The Pink Panther (2006)(06 of12)
Open Image Modal
This remake received mostly negative reviews upon its release and was deemed a rare misfire for Steve Martin, but that didn’t stop a sequel coming out - which was, of course, panned even more. (credit:Col Pics/Everett/REX)
The Wicker Man (2006)(07 of12)
Open Image Modal
While the original film is hailed as one of the scariest horrors ever, the Nicolas Cage remake is more commonly associated with the comedy genre… though we’re not sure that’s quite what the filmmakers had in mind. (credit:Snap Stills/Rex)
A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)(08 of12)
Open Image Modal
A remake so irrelevant we didn’t actually realise it existed… most reviews of ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’ praised the newly-updated special effects, but claimed the remake couldn’t live up to its predecessor from the 1980s. (credit:Moviestore/Rex)
The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)(09 of12)
Open Image Modal
Heavily criticised for relying on style over substance, reviewers praised the special effects of the film, but felt that without much of a story to hold things together, it wasn’t a worthy successor to the 1950s original. (credit:Snap Stills/Rex)
House Of Wax (2005)(10 of12)
Open Image Modal
A film best known for the ‘See Paris Die!’ campaign that preceded its releasing, referring to its star, Paris Hilton. Well, at least that was a distraction from the film itself... (credit:Warner Br/Everett/REX)
The Karate Kid (2010)(11 of12)
Open Image Modal
When even the presence of God-amongst-men Jaden Smith can’t save your film, you know you’re doomed. (credit:Col Pics/Everett/REX)
Psycho (1998)(12 of12)
Open Image Modal
Even director Gus Van Sant admitted, shortly after Psycho’s release, that the shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic had been an “experiment”, which proved that no one can copy a film in exactly the same way as the original. (credit:Universal/Everett/REX)