December 2018 is a month that is jam-packed with blockbusters, and quality may be the difference maker when it comes to box office performance. We've already been hearing positive buzz about both Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and Aquaman, so the rest of the competition is going to need to be just as good or better in order to attract attention. Fortunately, it looks like Rob Marshall's Mary Poppins Returns isn't going to have any big issues in that department, as the early reactions to the sequel are very positive.
To start, our own Deputy Games Editor Dirk Libbey saw Mary Poppins Returns this week, and is absolutely head-over-heels for it. In his Tweet about the movie, he praises the performances of leads Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, while suggesting that while he never knew he needed the film before, he couldn't be more happy that it exists now.
Dirk isn't the only member of the CinemaBlend staff who has seen Mary Poppins Returns, as contributing writer Sarah El-Mahmoud also got to attend a screening of the movie. She notes that the film isn't so much a sequel as it is a remake, returning to material that made the original so magical, but still felt transported by the experience.
Similar sentiments were shared by Jenna Busch, editor in chief at Legion of Leia. Using a line that is sure to be featured in many reviews in some form or another, she calls Mary Poppins Returns "practically perfect in every way," and added that it's an emotional cinematic experience as well. Apparently you will do yourself a favor by grabbing some extra napkins in the lobby to soak up your tears.
Not all of the early reactions to Mary Poppins _Returns_ are as over-the-top positive, however. In his social media post, SlashFilm's Ben Pearson notes that he has a sincere appreciation for what Emily Blunt does in the titular role, but didn't love the fact that the film apparently rests a lot on recreating the magic of the original instead of working harder to create something genuinely new - echoing Sarah's thoughts.
Most of the early reactions are positive, however, with Rotten Tomatoes' Jacqueline also providing some positive feedback for the feature. Her reaction is perhaps the most positive of all, calling Mary Poppins Returns an instant classic that is going to be making a huge splash in the 2018 awards race.
Things are clearly looking very good for Mary Poppins Returns, and it won't be too much longer before audiences get to form their own opinions on the new Disney-produced sequel. Co-starring Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and Joel Dawson, the new movie is set to make its way into theaters on December 19th - and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for a whole lot more of our coverage.
