Rob Marshall: 'Now is the perfect time for Mary Poppins Returns'

Director Rob Marshall is convinced his new film Mary Poppins Returns needed to be released now to remind people the feeling of joy.

The Chicago filmmaker first approached his Into the Woods star Emily Blunt about playing the magical nanny in a sequel to the 1964 Disney classic in the summer of 2015, but by the time they got around to filming in February 2017, the political landscape had changed a lot, given the Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President.

With the uncertain times the world is currently experiencing, Marshall believes the timing couldn't be better for his musical fantasy film.

"It's more important than ever that this film is out now," he told U.S. Vogue magazine. "Because kids are more cynical, and people are more cynical."

Recalling the lessons imparted by the movies and P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins book series, he added, "To be able to understand that the only way to get through life is to find, deep inside, that childlike wonder-I mean, that's how I live... Without that, I would find the world an incredibly dark place. And I don't feel old-fashioned saying that. To me, it's a life choice."

Blunt, who takes on the lead role originated by Julie Andrews, said the film took on "a new poignancy because of how volatile the times felt" while her co-star Lin-Manuel Miranda, who plays lamplighter Jack, called the film their gift to the world.

"It's so cliched, but we got to make this enormous present, this beautiful, uplifting, joyous family movie that makes you cry, that made even my stone-hearted-scientist wife (Vanessa) cry when she saw an early rough cut of it," he explained. "I feel really grateful that that's what we spent our year doing."

Mary Poppins Returns hits cinemas in December (18).