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Mary Poppins Returns--Ben In Talks to Play Adult Michael


As of today (August 15, 2016), rumor is that Ben will play the adult Michael Banks. If he takes on the role, he will co-star with Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Meryl Streep (the latter is still "in talks"). I find this particularly exciting!

The Vanity Fair piece out today is here: http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/08/mary-poppins-ben-whishaw-michael-banks


An interesting side-note: in 2014, Ben did an interview with the Chinese press and had this to say:

As long as I can remember, I was always like dressing up as characters and putting on plays and then you do them at school and you do them in the village or the community centre. And then I joined the youth theatre. It's just like one thing led to another but I was always doing it. Well, I think I played all the characters from Mary Poppins, that's my favourite film.

[From this article: http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5MzM5NTY4Mw==&mid=401872290&idx=1&sn=c655a44115a928220cea2d354113d270]

If he's already a fan, I think that's promising!

And I'd love to see and hear him singing a bit more than he has here and there, in various other roles.




"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with."

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I did think that remaking Mary Popins wasn't a good idea but if Ben gets on board, I'll take a look.

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Ben is great at quirky roles as he is a bit different and quirky himself. I'm remembering how ethereal he was as Ariel in The Tempest and how innocent he was as Paddington.

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Thankfully, it won't be a remake--it will be a sequel (20-25 years later, with Ben as the adult Michael, who faces a loss and now has three children of his own).

I agree, though--if Ben's on-board, it's worth a look (or a few!).



"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with."

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I can picture him playing an enchanting yet realistic character--but adding some grit and texture, so to speak, that another actor may not be capable of doing. (Yes, I have great faith in him!)

He definitely has an excellent range. I'd love to see him be a father to three children (as far as I can remember, Suffragette is the only role he's had on stage, screen, or t.v. where he's been able to interact with a child, unless you count The Lobster, but that was a grown kid given to him to "help" with the couple's relationship. I may be forgetting something, though). He'll be captivating, heartbreaking, and wonderful.

"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with."

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It WILL be a remake disguised as a "sequel", similar to Force Awakens and GB16. This film is gonna be bad.

Want three steaks?... My mistake. Four steaks. 

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Well, I think there's a difference (although, I'm sure there will be a "remake" quality, given how much time has passed between the first film and this one), as, from what I understand, Mary Poppins Returns will be based upon P. L. Travers' book Mary Poppins Comes Back.

I'll hold out hope until I know better! I really like the cast and there's definitely potential here for something charming and captivating. 


"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with."

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Nah, they said the film was gonna be "its own thing" and loosely based on the sequel books, much like the original being loosely based on the first book. I don't trust the director. He's one of the worst in the business. I mean, Nine? He made Daniel Day-Lewis look like a fool in that one and that's unforgivable.

Want three steaks?... My mistake. Four steaks. 

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Oh God why they didn't confirmed this yet!? pls someone confirm this :(

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