When you think of dignified British actors, does Colin Firth come to mind? Of course he does! For more than 30 years, the man has starred in a number of acclaimed dramas, like The King's Speech, but he's also had opportunities to show off his sense of whimsy and fun, like in 2015's Kingsman: The Secret Service. So to hear that he's boarding the upcoming Mary Poppins sequel is fitting, as it sounds right up his alley.
According to Variety, Colin Firth is currently in negotiations to join Mary Poppins Returns, the follow-up to the 1964 movie. Once the ink is dry, he will play William Weatherall Wilkins, president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. He will join a cast that consists of Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins, Lin Manuel-Miranda as Jack the street lamplighter, Meryl Streep as Mary's cousin Topsy, Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks and Emily Mortimer as Emily Banks.
For those who haven't seen the original Mary Poppins movie in a while, Fidelity Fiduciary Bank is the same bank where Michael and Emily Banks' father George worked. After his children caused a scene at the bank when Michael didn't follow his father's wishes to invest his money there, George was let go, but by the end of the movie, he had re-obtained his position as junior partner. Mary Poppins Returns takes place around the Great Depression, so it looks like several decades after that first tale, Colin Firth's William Weatherall Wilkins will be managing the financial institution. It's unclear whether Mr. Wilkins be a villainous figure or someone more benevolent, but if Firth has been cast, you can almost guarantee it will be a substantial role.
Although the majority of Colin Firth's have been geared towards older audiences, he's no stranger to family films. In 2005, he played patriarch Cedric Brown in Nanny McPhee, another movie about a strange au pair who comes into a family's life and uses her unusual methods to bring them closer together. Mary Poppins Returns will be another way for him to participate in a story that folks of all ages can enjoy. All that's been revealed about the sequel so far is that it will involve Mary Poppins returning to London to reunite with Michael and Emily Banks as adults following a personal tragedy in the family. While in town, Mary will look after Michael's three children and help them rediscover the joy in life. Rob Marshall will direct the movie, David Magee is handling script duties, and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will write original songs.
Mary Poppins Returns will be released on December 25, 2018. Meanwhile, Colin Firth can currently be seen in Bridget Jones's Baby, and he'll return to the big screen on June 16, 2017 for Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
