If early reviews are any indication, Disney's long-awaited Mary Poppins Returns looks ready to float into next year's Oscars and snatch up all the gold like it's the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank.
The sequel that's 50 years in the making is still a month away from release, but Disney has started some award season screenings for Academy and Screen Actors Guild members. And according to Variety, they're going well!
The trade publication reports that the closing credits were met with applause at a producers' guild screening, while there was a standing ovation at another screening for Academy members.
That at least indicates that Best Picture and Best Actress nominations seem likely for the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and potentially the Oscars as well.
Mary Poppins Returns producers are also planning two submissions for the Best Original Song category – the upbeat 'Trip a Little Light Fantastic' and the ballad 'The Place Where Lost Things Go' – though the film will certainly be in for a battle with fellow musical A Star is Born.
A Q&A after recent screenings with filmmakers and cast saw them echo recent comments from director Rob Marshall that a hopeful movie like Mary Poppins Returns is "so badly" needed right now.
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"We live in such a fragile time, that we need this film," he explained. "I certainly felt that I needed it. I needed to turn off the news and be launched into a magical world where wondrous things can happen still, and there's hope."
Mary Poppins Returns will be opening on December 19 in the US and on December 21 in the UK.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
