Photo Flash: Emma Thompson and More Join Richard Sherman for SAVING MR. BANKS Sing-A-Long

Two-time Academy Award-winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar-winner Tom Hanks topline Disney's "Saving Mr. Banks," inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney's classic "Mary Poppins" made it to the screen. Below, check out photos from last night's special performance and sing-a-long with legendary songwriter and composer Richard Sherman in support of SAVING MR. BANKS at the Beverly Hills Hotel Polo Lounge!

When Walt Disney's daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers' "Mary Poppins," he made them a promise-one that he didn't realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney's plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn't budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Disney presents "Saving Mr. Banks," directed by John Lee Hancock, produced by Alison Owen, Ian Collie and Philip Steuer, and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Executive producers are Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, AnDrew Mason and Troy Lum. The film will release in U.S. theaters on December 13, 2013, limited, and open wide on December 20, 2013.

Photo Credit: Rich Polk/WireImage

Actress Emma Thompson and actor Mickey Rooney

Composer Richard Sherman and actress Emma Thompson

Actors Bradley Whitford and B.J. Novak

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Actor Bradley Whitford

Composer Richard Sherman and Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Composer Richard Sherman and Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Composer Richard Sherman and Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Composer Richard Sherman and Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Composer Richard Sherman, actor Carl Reiner, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn and Cindy Horn

Ann Marie Newman, composer Thomas Newman, director John Lee Hancock and actor B.J. Novak

Actress Emma Thompson and actor Mickey Rooney

Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn and actor Sean Penn

Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn, actress Emma Thompson and actor Mickey Rooney

Actress Emma Thompson and actor Mickey Rooney

Composers Richard Sherman and Thomas Newman

Composers Richard Sherman and Thomas Newman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman and Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Composer Richard Sherman and Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn

Actress Emma Thompson and Company

Composer Richard Sherman and actress Emma Thompson

Composer Richard Sherman and actress Emma Thompson

Composer Richard Sherman and actress Emma Thompson

Composer Richard Sherman and Elizabeth Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson, writer Kelly Marcel, producer Alison Owen, director John Lee Hancock, actor Bradley Whitford, actor B.J. Novak and actor Jason Schwartzman perform with composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson, writer Kelly Marcel, producer Alison Owen, actor Bradley Whitford, actor B.J. Novak and actor Jason Schwartzman perform with composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson, writer Kelly Marcel, producer Alison Owen, actor Bradley Whitford, actor B.J. Novak and actor Jason Schwartzman perform with composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson, writer Kelly Marcel, producer Alison Owen, actor Bradley Whitford, actor B.J. Novak and actor Jason Schwartzman perform with composer Richard Sherman

Writer Kelly Marcel, producer Alison Owen, director John Lee Hancock and actor Bradley Whitford

Actress Emma Thompson, writer Kelly Marcel and producer Alison Owen

Actress Emma Thompson, writer Kelly Marcel and producer Alison Owen

Producer Alison Owen, director John Lee Hancock and composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson, producer Alison Owen and director John Lee Hancock

Writer Kelly Marcel, actress Emma Thompson, producer Alison Owen and director John Lee Hancock

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Writer Kelly Marcel, director John Lee Hancock, actor Bradley Whitford, actress Emma Thompson, actor Jason Schwartzman and actor B.J. Novak perform with composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Writer Kelly Marcel, actress Emma Thompson, producer Alison Owen, director John Lee Hancock, actor Bradley Whitford, actor B.J. Novak and actor Jason Schwartzman perform with composer Richard Sherman

Writer Kelly Marcel, actress Emma Thompson, producer Alison Owen, director John Lee Hancock, actor Bradley Whitford, actor B.J. Novak and actor Jason Schwartzman perform with composer Richard Sherman

Actors Emma Thompson, B.J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman and Bradley Whitford perform with composer Richard Sherman

Actress Emma Thompson and composer Richard Sherman

Producer Alison Owen, director John Lee Hancock, actor B.J. Novak and composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Composer Richard Sherman

Writer Kelly Marcel and producer Alison Owen

Writer Kelly Marcel and producer Alison Owen

Actress Jane Seymour and actor B.J. Novak

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