New 'Mary Poppins' movie in the works at Disney

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Disney reportedly has a new Mary Poppins movie in development.

Sources told Variety the film will feature the beloved title character, but not act as a direct sequel to the 1964 movie. The project, instead, will take place 20 years later in Depression-era London.

The original Disney adaptation is primarily based on the first book of the Mary Poppins children's series by P.L. Travers. The new movie, which will also be a musical, will explore further adventures found in the eight-book series.

Finding Neverland writer David Magee will pen the script, with Chicago and Into the Woods helmer Rob Marshall attached to direct. Hairspray co-composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will create original songs and a new score.

Entertainment Weekly reports Disney and Marshall are working with the Travers estate, buoyed by the support of Mary Poppins co-composer Richard Sherman. He and his late brother, Robert, co-wrote "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and the film's other songs.

Mary Poppins earned over $102 million at the box office, and was nominated for 13 Academy Awards at the 1965 Oscars. The movie stars Julie Andrews as a magical nanny, with Dick Van Dyke as her best friend Bert and Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber as her young charges.