Universal Pictures/Illumination
There’s a Mary Poppins sequel out in December, but Julie Andrews — star of the 1964 original — is not in it. That doesn’t mean the legendary actress won’t be at the multiplex during the holidays. In fact, EW reports, she is, somewhat randomly, going to have a voice role in the upcoming DCEU entry, Aquaman.
Why? Why not! According to the report, Aquaman producer Peter Safran said they were looking for a British actress to take on the role of Karathen, an undersea creature who plays a key role in Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and his quest. “When we found out Julie was interested and available and excited to do it, casting her was a no-brainer,” explained Safran.
And why isn’t Andrews in Mary Poppins Returns? Well, that’s a lot more obvious: The role is already filled by Emily Blunt, and shoehorning Andrews in there would have been both laborious and would, in Andrews’ mind, distract from the hard work done by her talented replacement.
That said, this does mean there’s now a bit of a showdown. Mary Poppins Returns opens on December 19, and Aquaman opens on December 21. One has Mary Poppins; the other has the original Mary Poppins. Also, Andrews won an Oscar for the role, so Blunt has that to consider, too. May the best Poppins win!
(Via EW)
