Shogun Producer Developing Mary Poppins TV Series

Winds in the east, mist coming in. Like something is brewing, about to begin. What that something is appears to be a Mary Poppins TV show. Following the box office bomb that was 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns, a new take on the character is reportedly in the works that will bring the iconic nanny more in line with the version from the series of novels from which she originates.

As reported by Deadline, Shōgun producer Tom Winchester is actively developing a series that would return to the original eight Mary Poppins books written by P.L. Travers. Winchester has optioned the rights to the books from the Travers estate. The new take will reportedly lean on the more complex elements of the novels, which depict Mary Poppins as a far more mysterious and even dangerous character.

The series is still in early development, and Winchester is approaching showrunners. Winchester is producing the show through his production company, Pure Fiction Television, which is backed by See-Saw Films, producer of Power of the Dog and Slow Horses, and by the British talent agency Hamilton Hodell.

Will Disney be involved in the Mary Poppins TV show?

Mary Poppins is probably best known thanks to Disney’s 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. While a critical and commercial success, the film diverged from the novels with its musical whimsy and was heavily criticized by P.L. Travers, as dramatized in the movie Saving Mr. Banks. Disney revived the character with Mary Poppins Returns starring Emily Blunt in the title role alongside Broadway legend Lin-Manuel Miranda. Disney also adapted the original film into a stage musical that ran on the West End and later Broadway.

While the upcoming series does not need Disney’s involvement, as Winchester already has the rights for the books, he is reportedly in talks with the company anyway. There is hope that Disney would join the project in some capacity due to its history with the character.

Source: Polygon