Mary Poppins Returns Trailer Screams Rob Marshall Magic

Adding to the Mary Poppins world wasn’t an idea that initially had everyone cheering, but as Rob Marshall‘s follow-up to the Into the Woods there was some hope that this wasn’t just a Disney money grab. The teaser trailer set a magical stage, and Emily Blunt looked the part, but there wasn’t a lot to warrant serious excitement.

We finally have a bit more to go on with the release of the latest trailer, and considering that it hits just before Christmas, it’s about time. Of course, it hits just before Christmas and it’s a Disney movie, so convincing people to go may be a marketing budget that is ultimately unnecessary.

The main thing to note from the trailer is the reveal that Mary Poppins Returns is going to be something of a mirror effort. There’s a new, but similar “need” for Poppins to arrive, new, but familiar, animation that bleeds into the production itself and Poppins’ magic, and there’s a new chimney sweep. The trailer even feels like a throwback to earlier Disney efforts with its star spotlight toward the end. It’s all wandering full circle, which you have to imagine is going to be part of the syrupy message. And, as we could have guessed, Jack (Ben Whishaw) has forgotten what it’s like to be a child, or at least says “stuff and nonsense” like a right grown up.

That said, if you’re looking at the potential magic and/or the love and devotion we might be in store for (also known as the licensing aftermath), you might think of Into the Woods as the trial run. That was a great movie, and a lot of fun, but it wasn’t going to be the next ride at Disney World, or inspire a set of new shops, or even take over a huge amount shelf space. But, we wanted to know we had someone we could give Mary Poppins to, because if you do that right, you might have something. An uptick in the profit margin of Disney Parks aside, if you can match Into the Woods with the added bonus of a title that already has decades of wonder swirling around it, you’re probably in line for a Best Picture nod.

Take a look below and mark your calendars.

Mary Poppins Returns Trailer

Mary Poppins Returns also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Angela Lansbury, and Dick Van Dyke.