Mary Poppins Returns Has A Weird, Special Connection To The Original Through A Deleted Song

Mary Poppins Returns Has A Weird, Special Connection To The Original Through A Deleted Song

Rob Marshall’s Mary Poppins Returns is very much a love-letter to its 1964 predecessor, weaving a wonderful new story with the wonderful familiar world and characters. There are many fun and smart connections made between the two features, both stylistically and narratively, and even though they are made decades apart they still feel of a piece. Obviously 99% of that is extremely purposeful and intentional, but the sequel also has a fantastic accidental link to the first movie as well – specifically through a musical sequence that both films attempted, but ultimately decided not to use.

Last week I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Rob Marshall to discuss his work on Mary Poppins Returns for the film’s home video press day, and during the interview talked about one song that was developed for the feature but not used: “The Anthropomorphic Zoo.” As the director explained, it was initially going to be a part of the extended journey taken by Mary (Emily Blunt), Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Anabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and Georgie (Joel Dawson), but was cut back when the sequence became too long:

There is a song that we had originally called "The Anthropomorphic Zoo," which was part of the animation sequence, but the animation sequence was way too long… It's about a zoo where people are in the cages, and the animals are walking around with Victorian garb on and pointing at the people in the cages. And it's very funny, and it comes from the books. Well, we tried it, we wrote the song, and it's there on the DVD to see with little bits some wonderful storyboarding and so forth, but we decided not to do it.

Obviously this kind of thing happens all the time, as every movie in history has at least one potentially great cut sequence that just didn’t work as part of the finished product. What makes this case special, however, is that apparently an almost identical decision was made in the making of the original Mary Poppins.

As Rob Marshall explained, the inspiration behind “The Anthropomorphic Zoo” came directly from the beloved book series by P.L. Travers on which Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Returns are both based, and fate would have it that it wasn’t the first time that the sequence was considered for live-action adaptation. After deciding not to include the number, the filmmaker made a surprising discovery, learning that the original basically made the exact same call back in the early 1960s:

After we decide not to do it I went to the archives here at Disney, and I saw that they had tried to do the same thing in the '64 version. There was a song called "The Chimpanzoo" that the Sherman brothers wrote, and they didn't use it either. So that was the craziest thing ever. Isn't that crazy?

It’s a fantastic little coincidence – but what makes it a little extra fun is that it’s not exactly a “lost” Mary Poppins song anymore. Even though the production didn’t actually fully develop the sequence, there will be a special feature on the Digital, Blu-ray and DVD copies of Mary Poppins Returns that will give audiences a chance to listen to the track and imagine what could have been.

You can watch my full interview with Rob Marshall, including his great bit of trivia about “The Anthropomorphic Zoo” by clicking play on the video below.

Following its massively successful box office run over the past few months, Mary Poppins Returns is heading to home video very soon. The hit musical will be available for digital download starting on March 12th, and those of you who collect physical copies will be able to find 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD editions in stores on March 19th.

Why King Kong Has No Chance Against Godzilla, According To O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Why King Kong Has No Chance Against Godzilla, According To O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Are you team King Kong or Team Godzilla? While we’re a year away from Godzilla Vs. Kong, it’s a debate that’s already been pretty prevalent in pop culture, and that’s unlikely to slow down in the coming months.

In fact, if you were to ask Godzilla: King of the Monsters actor O’Shea Jackson which side of the debate he’s on, he’d likely tell you he’s Team Godzilla all the way. Don’t take it from me, though, take a look at what he had to say in a recent interview with CinemaBlend…

According to the actor, the biggest con to Kong is that he’s just a big gorilla and there’s nothing special about that. In fact, the big monkey trope came up outside of Kong: Skull Island fairly recently with Dwayne Johnson’s Rampage. In short, we’ve seen big gorillas take on big foes before.

Per O’Shea Jackson Jr., fans need to rally behind characters like the radioactive Godzilla, powerful creatures with prowess outside of the norm. King Kong might be smart and he might have an opposable thumb, but that’s nothing compared to radioactive breath. Or as Jackson Jr. put it:

Look, man I’m tired of this gorilla bro. Gorillas are mad normal. You made it bigger! I don’t care, like, that’s so weak… King Kong has been overrated since I was a kid. Sorry.

Thomas Middleditch also attempted to interject that King Kong is “the underdog” of the fight, but O’Shea Jackson Jr. was not having any of it in his interview with CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb.

Look, although it’s clear O’Shea Jackson Jr. has strong opinions, here, it’s not like the debate about King Kong and Godzilla is super cut and dried. Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty has already been very clear that it will be a real “underdog fight,” also noting,

We’re looking at an almost David vs. Goliath situation. Because everyone, the moment you say Godzilla’s going to fight Kong, your first reaction is Kong doesn’t stand a chance. Godzilla’s got his radioactive breath, et cetera, et cetera. But then if you really take the time to look at Kong as a character, it’s like, okay, in Skull Island he was an adolescent, so he was still growing. So who knows how big he is since the 1970s when they first met him?

Oppositely, it also seems as if Godzilla has grown a ton ahead of Godzilla: King of the Monsters as well.

I’m pretty sure an underdog fight featuring two cinematic creatures that audiences have rallied around for decades is going to get butts into the seats, regardless of whether radioactive breath holds up against a being that can lob tree trunks.

Related: Is King Kong vs. Godzilla Really A Fair Fight?

Still, we’ll find out who the ultimate winner is when Godzilla Vs. Kong officially hits theaters on May 22, 2020.

In the meantime, this weekend is Godzilla’s chance to shine. You can catch the big, scaly creature in action opposite O’Shea Jackson Jr. in Godzilla: King of the Monsters starting this weekend, and see what else is coming up with our full movie premiere schedule.

What To Do In Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios If You're Skipping Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

What To Do In Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios If You're Skipping Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

Starting on August 29th, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is set to make a major shift, going from what has been the most overlooked park at Walt Disney World to quite possibly the most popular, all thanks to the new land Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

There’s no question that the crowds at Galaxy’s Edge are going to be extreme. However, if you’re going to be visiting Walt Disney World and you’re not a serious Star Wars fan, or just want to avoid the sure-to-be massive crowds, there may actually be no better time to hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With the crowds so focused on Galaxy’s Edge it’s possible that lines for everything else could be quite short, making the rest of the park a lot of fun. Hopefully.

Here’s everything you won’t want to miss at Disney’s Hollywood Studios outside of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Toy Story Land

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been undergoing a lot of changes over the last few years as the park continues to try and find its voice. This is why, prior to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the previous major addition to Walt Disney World was also at DHS, Toy Story Land.

The longest wait times in the park can be found at the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster right now, but that’s sure to change once Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run becomes an option. The Alien Swirling Saucers attraction is also a lot of fun and with it's minor (32") height requirement, it's one of the most exciting rides that even small children can take part in. Add in the recently-announced table service restaurant that will be added, and the great Toy Story Mania attraction, and there will be lots to do in Andy's backyard when you visit.

E-Ticket Attractions

If a roller coaster a little more hardcore than Slinky Dog Dash is more your speed, then you can’t miss out on the Aerosmith Rock N’ Roller Coaster. The only Walt Disney World roller coaster to include inversions, this coaster blasts off at full speed while also blasting some of Aerosmith’s greatest hits in your ears the whole time. The word on the street is the coaster might be getting rethemed soon, so you’ll want to check this out while you still can.

Since the Tower of Terror at Disneyland Resort was converted into Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout, the only place left to experience the original attraction in North America is at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The good news is, the Walt Disney World version of the ride is the better version anyway. It’s longer and has more to show you than simply high speed drops. Don’t miss this one.

Food

You’ve got to eat, and there are no shortage of great places at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to do that. One place you’ll want to be sure to check out is the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. The tables are designed to resemble classic cars and they’re all placed in front of screen showing old black and white science fiction movies. The food is your standard dinner fair, but the ambiance of the whole thing cannot be beat.

If you’re looking for a bit of a nicer sit down experience, The Hollywood Brown Derby is a recreation of the classic Hollywood location as it would have appeared during the Golden Age of Tinseltown. If you want to sit back, relax and simply enjoy some of the best food at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this is the place. Remember that reservations for restaurants can be made at Walt Disney World six months in advance, and if you want to be sure to get key lunch on dinner times, you'll need to book early.

Nighttime Entertainment

My favorite experiences at the Disney Parks are the nighttime shows. Fantasmic offers classic Disney nighttime entertainment, and while the version of the show at Disneyland is vastly superior to the Walt Disney World version (fight me) you still don’t want to miss the show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It's full of all your favorite Disney characters and a lot of great music.

The Wonderful World of Animation is the newest show to appear at Disney's Hollywood Studios and it combines fireworks and lights with a visual presentation projected on the front of the Chinese Theater, and considering that the spot will very soon be the home to the new attraction Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, it’s fitting the show pays tribute to the history of Disney animation.

Lighning McQueen’s Racing Academy

The newest show at Disney’s Hollywood Studio is Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. The show combines a wraparound screen with one of the most impressive animatronics that Disney Imagineering has created. This version of Lightning McQueen can talk to the audience, and looks like his animated counterpart brought to life. Other favorite Cars characters like Mater and Cruz Ramierez appear onscreen.

Star Wars Outside Of Galaxy's Edge

Maybe the crowds and the lines are enough to keep you away from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, but you still really like Star Wars. The good news is that Star Tours: The Adventure Continues isn’t actually located inside Galaxy’s Edge, and all the Star Wars fans will be elsewhere. The ride's randomization means that you won’t get the same ride twice, so this one is worth checking out multiple times to experience all there is to see and feel, if you have the time.

In addition to Star Tours, You can also visit the Star Wars Launch Bay, which will give you the opportunity for Meet and Greets with the likes of Chewbacca and Kylo Ren. Since Galaxy's Edge will be trying to recreate the feeling of being on an alien planet, these sorts of more "theme park" focused attractions won't exist there. For younger guests, they can also get a fun Star Wars experience with Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple which lets small children becomes young Jedi.

Disney Junior Dance Party

If you have little ones with you at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the number of rides they’ll be able to experience is somewhat limited. However, one attraction designed specifically for them is the Disney Junior Dance Party. They’ll be able to jump around with all of their favorite Disney Junior characters and also expend some energy to make things easier for mom and dad.

While Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is sure to be a hit, there's so much more to experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Even if you decide you want to skip the new land, you don't want to skip the park.

Images courtesy WDWNews.com/Disney

It: Chapter Two Director Andy Muschietti Reveals How The Adult Losers Club Was Chosen

It: Chapter Two Director Andy Muschietti Reveals How The Adult Losers Club Was Chosen

In 2019, director Andy Muschietti is bringing the second chapter of IT to the big screen. This time around, he’s also bringing together the adult version of the Losers Club, who will share screentime with their younger counterparts, the stars of IT: Chapter One. We’ve known for a while now the casting for several of the adult Losers is uncanny, but at CinemaCon 2019, Andy Muschietti revealed how he decided on who to cast in terms of the adult actors in the movie.

I wanted the adult Losers to be believable and that people believed that we’re talking about the same people. It was a journey of finding and looking. I’m proud to say that all of the people I wanted in the movie finally landed in it. It was incredible to find that all the people standing here were so excited to be a part of it.

When looking at casting, Andy Muschietti also mentioned he was looking for “the same energy and DNA” between the youngsters and the older cast while IT: Chapter Two was coming together.

At CinemaCon 2019, the audience became the first to see both iterations of The Losers Club come out onstage together. Jessica Chastain stood next to Sophia Lillis, James Ransome next to Jack Dylan Glazer, James McAvoy (although Jaeden Martell was not present), Bill Hader next to Finn Wolfhard, Isaiah Mustafa next to Chosen Jacobs, and Jay Ryan next to Jeremy Ray Taylor.

IT: Chapter Two – An Updated Cast List

The whole gang was onstage together and even just looking at them side-by-side, a lot of the castings are pretty uncanny, particularly Bill Hader and Finn Wolfhard. Hader was actually cast thanks to Wolfhard’s wishes and Hader credited the younger actor for landing the role. This happened after Wolfhard admitted he just started thinking about an actor who he felt was already like his character Richie. He said:

We always talked about it. We didn’t know for sure if there was going to be a Part 2 or anything. Well I didn’t at least, and I was like, you know, Richie’s funny to himself.

Quipped Bill Hader,

Yeah, Richie thinks he’s funny. Who’s an asshole who thinks he’s really funny? Who’s a guy who laughs at himself a lot? Who laughs at his own jokes a lot? There’s only one guy in the universe.

Although he's joking above, Bill Hader ultimately credited Finn Wolfhard for thinking of him before casting commenced. Wolfhard’s not the only one who picked out the actor he wanted to play an adult version of him. Sophia Lillis had previously said she wanted Jessica Chastain for the role of Beverly and that panned out as well.

While the rest of the castings didn’t play out exactly like the kids originally guessed, there’s no doubt IT: Chapter Two’s cast is stacked. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how it pans out on the big screen.

The good news? Along with the cast, CinemaCon also revealed some first look footage at IT: Chapter Two with a scene featuring Jessica Chastain. If you’d like to get a little more spoilery than that, we have you covered.

Marvel's 2020 Movie Schedule Will Be A Little Different Than What We're Used To

Marvel's 2020 Movie Schedule Will Be A Little Different Than What We're Used To

While some in the industry have regularly warned about "superhero fatigue," Marvel Studios has spent the last few years proving that it's basically just a myth. After all, since 2017 they have been releasing three movies per year, and in that time they have produced four billion dollar hits. It's basically become the standard release plan for the company, but according to a new release schedule from Walt Disney Studios that will be changing a bit in 2020.

Per an official release from Disney, next year will mark the first time since 2016 that Marvel Studios will only be releasing two movies instead of the standard three. While it was initially said that we would get new blockbusters in May, July, and November, the middle title in that schedule has now been erased. We're still not actually entirely sure what either title is going to be, but it's an interesting shake-up nonetheless.

Furthermore, it would appear that it's not exactly the permanent plan going forward. In addition to revealing their plans for 2020, Disney has also laid out their slates for 2021 and 2022, and both still include three different Marvel Studios releases (which we previously knew about). So rather than being the new normal, next year will be a bit of an anomaly for what is arguably the most powerful subsidiary currently operating in Hollywood.

So why the change? Disney hasn't officially given a reason, but it's pretty easy to deduce what has caused this shift. There were plans for months to have Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 come out at some point in 2020, but then things got a bit messed up last summer when writer/director James Gunn was fired by the studio. Production, which was supposed to start earlier this year, was put on hold, and while the gears are now turning again thanks to Gunn's reinstatement, the larger plans for the release schedule surely had to change as a result. Hence we are getting two features next year instead of the standard three.

Related: Marvel's Kevin Feige Confirms Shang-Chi Is Coming In Phase Four

Unfortunately we still don't know exactly what the two titles are going to be, as Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has said that Phase Four projects for the Marvel Cinematic Universe won't be announced until after the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home later this year. At the same time, there are definitely films that are clearly further along in the development process than others - including Cate Shortland's Black Widow, and Chloe Zhao's The Eternals. Neither project has announced a start of production just yet, but as of right now those two features are the safest bets for release in 2020.

This is obviously a development that we are keeping a very close eye on, so be sure to stay tuned on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates. And to get the full rundown on what's happening in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, be sure to check out our Upcoming Marvel guide.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Says Disney Won’t Be Changing Deadpool

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Says Disney Won’t Be Changing Deadpool

Superhero movies have become the biggest genre in filmmaking over the past few years, in no small part due to the massive success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plenty of studios have gotten in on the action since Iron Man debuted in 2007, and the genre is about to get more complicated since Disney officially acquired Fox. This seemingly put Fox properties like X-Men in jeopardy, although The House of Mouse already made it clear that the Deadpool franchise was here to stay.

Just how Ryan Reynolds' signature mercenary will work under the Disney umbrella is a total mystery, as is his possible inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While fans may be concerned about the Deadpool franchise being held back in the new studio, Kevin Feige is here to quell your fears. He recently spoke about Disney CEO Bob Iger's intentions with Wade Wilson, saying:

When we were purchased, Bob said to us, ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.' There’s no question that Deadpool is working, so why would we change it?

Well, that's a relief. While Deadpool's future with the MCU is still a mystery, cinephiles should rest easy knowing that Ryan Reynolds' franchise won't be given the Disney gloss for future installments. So we should expect plenty of violence, cursing, and fourth-wall-breaking in Deadpool 3 and/or X-Force.

Kevin Feige's comments to Variety should please the many Deadpool fans out there who might be nervous about his adoption by Disney. The franchise became such a massive success because Ryan Reynolds brought something totally unique to the franchise. He references the various cinematic universes, and Wade Wilson is constantly making jokes that aren't family friendly. It's this comedic approach to the genre that has resonated with audiences, as well as casual moviegoers who simply want to enjoy an R-rated comedy.

Deadpool's rating has been the biggest concern about Disney's acquisition of the property, as dumbing down a future installment to PG-13 would lose the spirit of the franchise. But Kevin Feige's recent statement indicates that Bob Iger isn't planning on making any liberal changes to the successful property. Considering what a massive box office and critical success the first two movies were, it stands to reason that he'd let Ryan Reynolds and company continue doing their thing.

While the details regarding the Disney and Fox deal are still coming to light for the public, one thing is clear: Wade Wilson is going to have a field day referencing the events of the merger when he returns to theaters. Deadpool loves referencing the various cinematic universes, and now that his franchise is at the center of two of them colliding, the jokes will write themselves.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Deadpool, especially as news is released regarding Disney's plans for his future. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Ron Howard Says He ‘Made a Mistake’ With The Dark Tower

Ron Howard Says He ‘Made a Mistake’ With The Dark Tower

Over the course of the decade-long development process The Dark Tower wound itself through, producer Ron Howard was on board for almost the entire ride, joining the project in the wake of J.J. Abrams’ departure. So if anyone knows what the first film in the failed Stephen King franchise went through in its birthing process, it’s him.

As such, Ron Howard is also qualified to discuss just what went wrong with the 2017 film that baffled critics as well as fans, and saw Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey occupying the center of the black hole that was The Dark Tower’s would-be origin story. And discuss this he did in a recent interview, in which Ron Howard admitted to the following mistake when it came to Roland the Gunslinger’s big screen debut:

I think it should’ve been horror. I think that it landed in a place—both in our minds and the studio’s—that it could be PG-13 and sort of a boy’s adventure… I really think we made a mistake not—I mean I’m not sure we could’ve made this movie, but I think if we could’ve made a darker, more hard-boiled look and make it The Gunslinger’s character study more than Jake. I think in retrospect that would’ve been more exciting. We always felt like we were kind of holding back something, and I think at the end of the day it was that.

It's a story that any Dark Tower fan could tell you from memory: the day that what was supposed to be the first entry in a series of films and TV seasons that told the story of all seven books was confirmed to be a PG-13 film. With the focus shifted to Tom Taylor’s Jake Chambers, and the story retooled to be a sequel that took the series past the events of the final written volume, aptly titled The Dark Tower, the Sony-produced picture eventually became a pretty big flameout when it was released into theaters.

As the literary source was a darker, more mature fantasy that saw much weirder and more gruesome events, including Jake’s own death after being sacrificed by Roland himself, the PG-13 style of filmmaking just couldn’t cut it. And while he was initially bullish on the film, even Stephen King himself admitted that the studio went crazy with trying to turn an R-rated novel into a franchise-ready, less hard-edged product.

But alas, hindsight truly is 20/20, and Ron Howard’s discussion on Happy, Sad, Confused showed just that. And while he admits it was a mistake, Howard does note that it was one that helped the movie get made, seeing as the studio may not have wanted the R-rated version of what was eventually a $66 million film version of The Dark Tower’s first, and so far only, cinematic installment.

However, the storied franchise’s fortunes aren’t totally washed out, as Amazon has been working on a brand new Dark Tower TV series that would stick to the original plan of adapting book four, Wizards and Glass, into a sprawling epic that would fill in the backstory for Roland. So while there was a failure to be had in The Dark Tower’s initial journey to the screen, it looks like that regret might become a big stepping stone on improving for the future.

We don’t have a premiere date on when The Dark Tower will hit Amazon, but you can see Ron Howard’s latest documentary, Pavarotti, when it opens in theaters this Friday. And if you’re looking for more excitement in theaters this weekend, or anytime in the near future, you can check out our 2019 release schedule to see what’s on the horizon. Results may vary depending on which dimension you’re reading this article in.