Disney Exec on Lin-Manuel Miranda's MARY POPPINS Casting: 'It's a Thrill For All of Us'

In a new article in The Hollywood Reporter, Disney executive vice president Tom MacDougall discussed the series of events which led to the casting of HAMILTON star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda in Disney's MARY POPPINS RETURN. The Tony Award winner will star opposite Emily Blunt in the movie set to hit theaters in December, 2018.

In late 2013, MacDougall, who oversaw the soundtrack to the Disney animated megahit FROZEN and was responsible for hiring the husband and wife composing team of Robert and Kristen Lopez, began to focus his efforts on signing up Miranda as the studio's newest composer. Before long, the hip hop star and the exec were beginning work on music for MOANA, a new animated film coming to theaters this November.

Comments Disney production chief Sean Bailey, "Lin's musical passion and energy is undeniable. To have him part of Mary Poppins Returns is a thrill for all of us."

Miranda also joined forces with J.J. Abrams to write a song for Disney and Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The union came about when the director made a backstage visit at a HAMILTON performance and joked that he'd love for Miranda to work on the film. The rest, as they say, is history.

Miranda officially announced this week that he will exit HAMILTON on July 9th. He will soon begin shooting director Rob Marshall's live-action Mary Poppins Returns, in which he will portray a lamplighter. The character is described as being in the same vein as the original film's beloved character Bert.

Read the story in full HERE

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

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