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'Mary Poppins Returns' release date, cast news: Meryl Streep as Mary Poppins' cousin Topsy

Bayani Miguel Acebedo August 01, 2016 07:35 AM EST

Featured in the image is award-winning actress Meryl Streep | Reuters/Lucas Jackson

"Mary Poppins" is currently undergoing a reboot, and Meryl Streep has reportedly been cast as Topsy Tartlet, Mary Poppins' cousin from P.L. Travers' book.

According to The Mary Sue, Streep's role is that of a musical one, and it will find the Academy-award-winning actress belting out tunes in the Disney sequel. The movie will also star Emily Blunt as the titular Mary Poppins, taking over for Julie Andrews who portrayed the role back in the 60s. The movie will also feature "Hamilton" creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. He will reportedly play a lamplighter named Jack.

The story will be set in London at the time when The Great Depression hit the United Kingdom. It will follow the kids from the original story, Jane and Michael Banks, as they are all grown up and requiring assistance from the magical nanny after they have supposedly undergone a family tragedy.

David Magee has reportedly penned the screenplay, and the music is written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Slash Film also reports that "Into the Woods" helmer Rob Marshall will direct the movie, and it will reunite him with "Woods" actresses Blunt and Streep once more. Back in 2014, Streep played an old magical witch who made a baker and his wife (Blunt) find items for her in the woods, and in return, she will give them a child.

This is not the first time Disney has chosen to revisit the "Mary Poppins" franchise since the 60s. Back in 2013, Disney (along with BBC) developed "Saving Mr. Banks," a biopic on the making of the Mary Poppins movie and the difficulty that Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) had to put through just to make P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) give him the movie rights to her book. If that movie was any indication, Travers absolutely hated the adaptation of her book, and Disney working on a sequel is likely against her wishes as well. But then again, Travers was notoriously known for being difficult to work with.

"Mary Poppins Returns" is set to be released on Dec. 25, 2018.

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