Disney is well-known for their 1964 smash hit Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. But a new movie may be in the works that shows what happened behind the scenes of this legendary film. Deadline.com reports that Disney is currently near a deal to acquire Saving Mr. Banks, a film that looks at the tension between Walt Disney and original Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers.
The script for Saving Mr. Banks, written by Kelly Marcel, made the 2011 Black List, an annual list of the most well-liked screenplays that have yet to be picked up for production. The script deals with the personal attachment that Travers felt to her Mary Poppins stories, and the difficulties with Disney that resulted. While Travers did eventually allow Walt Disney to make Mary Poppins after a 14-year courtship, she remained displeased with many of the choices made. Despite the film’s commercial and critical success, Travers’ dislike for the film’s animated sequences kept her from giving Disney the rights to any of her other works.
Currently rumored to star in the film are Tom Hanks as Walt Disney, with Meryl Streep as Travers. More information is expected to be announced once the deal is officially closed.
