Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda land leads in 'Mary Poppins' sequel

LOS ANGELES, June 1 (UPI) -- Walt Disney Studios has announced it will release the sequel to its 1964 movie classic Mary Poppins, which starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, on Dec. 25, 2018.

"We are thrilled to announce that 'Mary Poppins Returns' is coming to theatres December 2018, starring Emily Blunt & Lin-Manuel Miranda," the studio said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

"I was waiting until it was official. It's official!" Miranda tweeted alongside an emoji of Poppins' signature umbrella.

Miranda's musical Hamilton is currently the toast of Broadway, recently earning a record-setting 16 Tony Award nominations. Blunt can now be seen in The Huntsman: Winter's War.

Walt Disney's battle to convince Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers to allow him to adapt her beloved fantasy novel for the big screen was the subject of the 2013 Tom Hanks-Emma Thompson movie Saving Mr. Banks.