---
title: "Mary Poppins Returns"
year: 2018
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/mary-poppins-returns"
fi1m_id: "mary-poppins-returns"
imdb_id: "tt5028340"
tmdb_id: 400650
wikidata_id: "Q24272881"
fi1m_score: 67
critics_score: 68
critics_reviews: 25
published: "2026-10-03T00:29:32.399756+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-03T00:29:33.174833+00:00"
region: "IT"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Directed by Rob Marshall · 2h 11m · Fantasy, Family, Comedy

## Identity

Mary Poppins Returns

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/mary-poppins-returns
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** mary-poppins-returns
- **IMDb ID:** tt5028340
- **TMDB ID:** 400650
- **Wikidata ID:** Q24272881
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5028340/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/400650, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24272881

**Fi1m score: 67** · Critics 68 from 25 reviews

*In a sentence:* Emily Blunt can make a reprimand more entertaining than an entire production number

> Emily Blunt gives this cautious musical sequel welcome mischief and unexpected tenderness. It is pleasant family entertainment, though the forgettable songs and leisurely pace make it a qualified recommendation.

## Synopsis

Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) returns with firm manners and a taste for magical diversions. Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer) and Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) feature in a story of adults under strain and children trying to make sense of their worries. Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Georgie (Joel Dawson) join a company that also includes Ellen (Julie Walters) and Cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep). Music and dancing accompany the fantasy, while Mary Poppins approaches ordinary concerns with a briskness that leaves little room for fuss.

## Review

Rob Marshall’s *Mary Poppins Returns* is pleasant, overcautious family entertainment, with Emily Blunt doing much of the persuading. It wants the pleasure of returning to something familiar, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is how often familiarity becomes an excuse to avoid surprise. At 131 minutes, it gives its songs and dances more room than their modest charms can comfortably fill.

Emily Blunt is the chief reason to stay. Her Mary Poppins treats nonsense with such brisk authority that the sternness becomes funny, and she leaves just enough uncertainty about how much she is enjoying herself. That makes her interesting even when the story is following a familiar route. Lin-Manuel Miranda, as Jack, is generous and eager company, though the contrast sometimes favours the performer doing less. She can get a laugh without appearing to ask for one.

The quieter music gets further than the busiest numbers. We were moved by Emily Blunt’s rendition of ‘The Place Where Lost Things Go’, because her singing allows tenderness into a performance otherwise reluctant to display it. Marc Shaiman’s music works here without having to persuade us that everybody is having a wonderful time. Elsewhere the songs are agreeable in the moment but difficult to recall once the scene has ended. A musical can survive that, but it makes the repeated invitations to marvel rather tiring.

The excursion inside a china bowl offers a better reason to pay attention. The hand-drawn animation gives the musical fantasy a freedom that the surrounding storytelling could use more often. John Myhre’s production design is playful enough to reward looking around the performers, while Sandy Powell’s costumes occasionally demand attention when a face would be more interesting. Dion Beebe’s cinematography gives the busy musical staging welcome clarity, although the polish can make everyone look rather carefully arranged. The sequence has enough visual invention to carry us through its busier passages.

Wyatt Smith’s editing is brisk within the numbers; the drag comes from how often Rob Marshall lets another musical diversion interrupt the story. There is rarely a sense that a scene has been carelessly assembled, but several continue after their appeal has become clear. We can enjoy the choreography and still wish the next scene would arrive. Lin-Manuel Miranda supplies energy whenever it is needed, which is often, and his willingness to entertain helps keep the longer stretches agreeable.

David Magee’s screenplay is most useful when it leaves room for the adults’ difficulties and the children’s worries. Ben Whishaw gives Michael Banks enough feeling to keep those concerns from becoming mere preparation for another song. The predictable plotting is less persuasive, because the effort to repeat an established pattern is so apparent. A family musical need not be startling, but it should occasionally feel as though its characters have surprised the people making it. Here, too much seems settled before a scene has begun.

For a household already fond of musical fantasy, there is enough warmth here to make the evening worthwhile. The running time remains a practical reservation, especially when the music does so little to disguise it. Choose it for Emily Blunt, rather than for a new batch of songs to sing afterwards.

*Fi1m score 67, published 3 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find Mary Poppins Returns a warm, enjoyable sequel, with Emily Blunt’s performance the clearest point of agreement: her comic timing, crisp authority and slyness win praise even in several lukewarm reviews. Enthusiasts also admire the energetic staging of the musical numbers, while Lin-Manuel Miranda earns approval for his warmth and showmanship. For many, the old-fashioned approach supplies enough charm and feeling to make the return worthwhile.

The reviews spread widely, however, from wholehearted affection to frustration with a sequel that follows its predecessor too closely. Reservations centre on forgettable songs, a predictable story and nostalgia that some critics find calculated; even sympathetic notices question how much stands on its own. The AV Club admires the technique but finds little emotional warmth, while the Los Angeles Times offers a sharper dissent, rejecting both the new songs and Blunt’s characterisation as part of an overworked, joyless recreation.

## Straight answers

**Is Mary Poppins Returns worth watching?**

*Mary Poppins Returns* is worth considering for families fond of musical fantasy, and we score it 67 out of 100. Emily Blunt’s brisk humour and unexpected tenderness make it agreeable company, but the forgettable songs and leisurely 131-minute running time keep our recommendation qualified.

**How long is Mary Poppins Returns, and what is it rated?**

*Mary Poppins Returns* runs 2h 11m. It is a fantasy and family film.

**Where can I watch Mary Poppins Returns in Italy?**

*Mary Poppins Returns* is streaming on Disney+ in Italy, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Mary Poppins Returns compare to Paddington 2?**

*Mary Poppins Returns* offers musical fantasy and Emily Blunt’s mischievous authority, but we recommend [*Paddington 2*](https://film.one/film/paddington-2) more readily for its more consistent laughs and earned sentiment. Both find warmth in a courteous visitor; choose the former for songs and magical diversions, the latter for a funny, generous family comedy.

**Is Mary Poppins Returns based on a true story or a book?**

*Mary Poppins Returns* draws on P. L. Travers’s fiction, rather than a true story. Knowing the book is not essential to its accessible story of worried children and adults under strain; we find its strongest appeal in Emily Blunt’s performance, though the predictable plotting makes the storytelling less rewarding.

**What should I watch after Mary Poppins Returns?**

After *Mary Poppins Returns*, try [*Paddington 2*](https://film.one/film/paddington-2) (2017, Fi1m 91): Another courteous visitor whose good manners survive considerable provocation, with more consistent laughs. Then [*The Young Girls of Rochefort*](https://film.one/film/the-young-girls-of-rochefort) (1967, Fi1m 84): For dancing that seems to spill naturally out into the street; and [*Kiki's Delivery Service*](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service) (1989, Fi1m 86): Another practical young woman makes magic feel like a useful everyday skill.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **Total Film**, Jane Crowther (5/5): Crowther finds the film a delightful, emotionally affecting throwback, though its old-fashioned perkiness may not suit everyone. She especially praises Emily Blunt’s more mysterious take on Mary and the warmth and showmanship of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s performance. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/mary-poppins-returns-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (95/100, inferred): Rooney calls the film an enchanting, thoroughly entertaining charmer that should become a family favorite. He particularly praises Emily Blunt’s performance and the film’s tuneful, lovingly crafted musical numbers. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/mary-poppins-returns-review-1167792/)
- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (90/100, inferred): Kermode gives the sequel a warmly enthusiastic verdict, saying it preserves the original’s magic despite not being perfect. He singles out Emily Blunt’s haunting rendition of “The Place Where Lost Things Go” as the moment that makes the film’s spell work. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/23/mary-poppins-returns-review-emily-blunt-rob-marshall-ben-whishaw-lin-manuel-miranda)
- **Empire**, Olly Richards (85/100, inferred): Richards finds it a charming, highly worthy follow-up that comes close to being practically perfect. He especially praises Emily Blunt’s comic timing and the imaginative, energetic staging of the musical numbers. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mary-poppins-returns-review/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Pamela Hutchinson (82/100, inferred): Hutchinson finds the sequel a sprightly, heartwarming success that largely recaptures the original’s charm. She especially praises Emily Blunt’s crisp performance and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s energetic musical numbers. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-mary-poppins-returns-trips-little-light-fantastic)
- **Evening Standard**, Matthew Norman (4/5): Norman finds the film a warm, old-fashioned success and praises Emily Blunt’s confident, distinctive Mary Poppins. He singles out the duet between Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda as a musical highlight. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/mary-poppins-returns-review-the-wonder-nanny-is-still-as-supercalifragilistic-as-ever-a4022356.html)
- **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (4/5): The review calls the film a big-hearted cinematic high and the year’s sweetest surprise. It singles out Emily Blunt’s hypnotic charm for praise. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/mary-poppins-returns)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (78/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the sequel a rapturous, joyfully old-fashioned piece of nostalgia, while noting that its careful imitation cannot equal the original. He praises Emily Blunt’s spirited performance and the film’s lovingly staged musical sequences. [Read](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/mary-poppins-returns-review-emily-blunt-1203085530/)
- **Film Comment**, Michael Sragow (75/100, inferred): The review finds the revisitation of the classic material a holiday delight. It singles out Emily Blunt’s performance for praise. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-mary-poppins-returns/)
- **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (70/100, inferred): Staunton presents the sequel as reliable, enjoyable family entertainment, though it has few show-stopping tunes. He singles out its nostalgia and affection for the original as strengths. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/mary-poppins-returns-review-reliable-family-fare-and-brolly-good-fun/)
- **Screen Daily**, Fionnuala Halligan (70/100, inferred): The standfirst suggests a positive verdict on Emily Blunt’s performance. It singles out her take on Mary Poppins as naughty, no-nonsense and very nice. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/mary-poppins-returns-review/5134816.article)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (70/100, inferred): Lane finds the sequel charming and enjoyable despite its cautious reliance on the original’s formulas and several missteps. He especially praises Emily Blunt’s graceful, sly performance as Mary Poppins. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/12/24/mary-poppins-returns-with-a-spoonful-less-sugar)
- **The AV Club**, Charles Bramesco (C+): Bramesco finds the film technically impressive but emotionally hollow, with its nostalgia feeling calculated rather than sincere. He praises Emily Blunt’s performance while faulting the production numbers for lacking warmth and soul. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/a-spoonful-of-nostalgia-helps-the-calculated-mary-poppi-1831031216)
- **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith (2/4): The critic finds the sequel a tepid, nostalgia-driven remix that marginalizes its star. They praise Emily Blunt’s early scenes and the charm and choreography of “Trip a Little Light Fantastic,” while faulting the film’s hollow recreations of the original. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/mary-poppins-returns/)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (4/2/2): Jenkins finds the film strangely bland and says it fails to recapture the original’s appeal. He particularly criticizes its uncatchy songs and the sense that repeating the old formula produces diminishing results. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/mary-poppins-returns)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (35/100, inferred): Edelstein finds the film a painstaking but ultimately disappointing re-creation that loses its magic. He praises Dick Van Dyke’s dancing and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s congenial performance, while faulting the songs and Emily Blunt’s portrayal of Mary. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2018/12/mary-poppins-returns-review.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (20/100, inferred): Chang finds the sequel overworked, mirthless and unable to live up to the original. He praises the brief joy of Dick Van Dyke’s cameo, while criticizing the new songs and Blunt’s stilted characterization. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-mary-poppins-review-20181212-story.html)
- **Digital Spy**, Jo Berry (90/100, inferred): Berry finds the sequel charming, joyful and a must-see for the festive season. She especially praises Emily Blunt for capturing Mary Poppins’s essence while making the role her own. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a25455532/mary-poppins-returns-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The critic finds the film charming and sincere, despite its familiar story and forgettable new songs. He singles out the hand-drawn animation and musical sequence inside the china bowl as its visual highlight. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mary-poppins-returns-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Anne-Katrin Titze (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the return gloriously uplifting and thoughtful, praising its emotional honesty and willingness to address children’s fears and family hardship. She also singles out the costumes as an ill-fitting, overly vivid distraction. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/mary-poppins-returns-2018-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze)
- **Consequence**, Allison Shoemaker (65/100, inferred): Shoemaker finds the sequel derivative and somewhat flat, but ultimately says she loved it. She praises its sumptuous design and Emily Blunt’s performance, while criticizing the predictable story and unimaginative direction. [Read](https://consequence.net/2018/12/film-review-mary-poppins-returns/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (C+): Goldberg finds the film charming but ultimately a pale imitation of its predecessor. He praises Emily Blunt’s performance and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s standout song, while criticizing the film’s lack of imagination and memorable songwriting. [Read](https://collider.com/mary-poppins-returns-review/)
- **/Film**, Josh Spiegel (4 out of 10): Spiegel finds the sequel too devoted to the original to become memorable in its own right. He praises Ben Whishaw’s heartfelt performance, while lamenting that the new songs fail to stick. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/562946/mary-poppins-returns-review/)
- **The Wrap** (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel overly derivative, though it still has moments of delight. Emily Blunt’s prickly, no-nonsense take on Mary Poppins is singled out as a particular success. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/mary-poppins-returns-film-review-sequel-emily-blunt-lin-manuel-miranda/)
- **Polygon**, Karen Han (35/100, inferred): Han finds the sequel charming but overly derivative, unable to recapture the original’s magic. She praises Emily Blunt’s performance, while noting that the songs and updates leave little lasting impression. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/2018/12/12/18136274/mary-poppins-returns-review-disney-emily-blunt/)

## Details

- **Director:** Rob Marshall
- **Director:** Rob Marshall
- **Screenplay:** David Magee
- **Story:** Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, David Magee
- **Novel:** P.L. Travers
- **Cinematography:** Dion Beebe
- **Editor:** Wyatt Smith
- **Music:** Marc Shaiman
- **Production design:** John Myhre
- **Costume design:** Sandy Powell
- **Producer:** Rob Marshall, Marc Platt, John DeLuca
- **Cast:** Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins; Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jack; Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; Pixie Davies as Annabel; Nathanael Saleh as John; Joel Dawson as Georgie; Julie Walters as Ellen
- **Runtime:** 2h 11m
- **Release (Italy):** 20 December 2018
- **Genres:** Fantasy, Family, Comedy
- **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2018)
- **Budget:** $130 million
- **Box office:** $349 million

## Where to watch in Italy

- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy €11.99, sd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy €11.99, sd

*Checked 2026-10-03.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2019: Best Costume Design (nominated)
- BAFTA Film Awards 2019: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (nominated)
- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2019: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Paddington 2* (2017), Fi1m 91: Another courteous visitor whose good manners survive considerable provocation, with more consistent laughs. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md)
- *Bedknobs and Broomsticks* (1971): More British magical housekeeping, with songs and animation given cheerful freedom.
- *The Young Girls of Rochefort* (1967), Fi1m 84: For dancing that seems to spill naturally out into the street. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-young-girls-of-rochefort.md)
- *Kiki's Delivery Service* (1989), Fi1m 86: Another practical young woman makes magic feel like a useful everyday skill. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service.md)
- *The Wizard of Oz* (1939), Fi1m 91: For a family musical whose songs linger long after the spectacle. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wizard-of-oz.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/mary-poppins-returns