'Mary Poppins Returns' news: Lin-Manuel Miranda spills details about upcoming sequel

Rapper, composer and multi-awarded Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda, who will star in the upcoming "Mary Poppins Returns," recently shared some details about the highly anticipated sequel to the 1964 classic.

Miranda, who is set to play a street lamplighter named Jack in the sequel, was a guest on "Good Morning America" on Thursday, Oct. 13. During his interview, the Pulitzer Prize winner talked about "Mary Poppins Returns" and revealed that the story is set about 20 years from the events in the original film.

"But I get to be around for the adventures with Mary and the kids and sing and dance and do all the fun things," he said. "It's a new story. There are about eight 'Mary Poppins' books, so what the creative team has done is sort of taken some of the adventures from those. Michael and Jane Banks have grown up, so this has to do with their kids," he added.

Miranda's Jack is positioned in "Mary Poppins Returns" to be similar to Dick Van Dyke's Bert in "Mary Poppins." The "Hamilton" creator will star opposite "The Girl on the Train" actress Emily Blunt, who will take on the role of the new Mary Poppins.

According to ComicBook.com, "Mary Poppins Returns" will take place in Depression-era London and will find Jane and Michael Banks, as well as Michael's three children, being visited by Mary Poppins in the wake of a tragedy. The magical Mary is said to help the family through their loss to rediscover the wonder that their lives have been lacking.

The grown-up versions of Jane and Michael Banks will be played by "Lars and the Real Girl" actress Emily Mortimer and "Skyfall" actor Ben Whishaw, respectively. Multi-awarded actress Meryl Streep will join the cast as Mary's cousin Topsy, a character who was not in the original film. "Mary Poppins Returns" will reunite Streep with her "Into the Woods" co-star Blunt and director Rob Marshall.

In a recent interview with PopSugar, Blunt opened up about her mixed emotions on being cast as the iconic Mary Poppins, saying, "I felt simultaneously thrilled and frozen with fear."

"Nobody's Julie Andrews, so I know that much," she said. "So I'm just gonna do my own thing," she added.

"Mary Poppins Returns" hits theaters on Dec. 25, 2018.