Emily Blunt in line to play Mary Poppins in Disney sequel

Blunt is in discussions to play the lead role in a planned follow-up to the 1964 classic

Emily Blunt has played a mixture of light-hearted and serious roles over the course of her career (Getty Images)

Emily Blunt had better start practising how to say ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ as rumour has it she is in line for the lead role in a Mary Poppins sequel.

The Sicario actress has always been Disney’s favourite for the part, Variety reports, and the studio hopes to get production underway as soon as possible.

Rob Marshall is on board to direct with John DeLuca and Marc Platt producing. The trio worked with Blunt previously on Into the Woods and talks have already taken place to discuss the idea of bringing the magical nanny we all wish we had back to life.

Scheduling has yet to be confirmed as Blunt recently announced that she is expecting her second child. It remains unknown whether Disney would wait until after her pregnancy or find another actress.

The original 1964 movie starred Julie Andrews as Poppins, who is employed by a wealthy but unhappy banker to look after his children. Dick Van Dyke also starred as her Cockney street artist pal Bert and together, they help counter pre-World War One misery with a healthy dose of optimism (and a fair few sing-a-longs). The film grossed $100 million at the box office and won five Oscars, with Andrews taking the gong for Best Actress.

Variety claims “insiders” have revealed that the planned follow-up will be set 20 years later in Depression-era London. Plot lines from PL Travers’ children books about Poppins’ further adventures with the Banks family will form the basis of the story.

Disney has recently enjoyed huge success by rebooting its animated classics for a modern audience. Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland have been given the live-action treatment, with Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book and Pinocchio already in the pipeline.

Disney has already drawn on the Mary Poppins backstory, achieving critical acclaim for its 2013 period drama Saving Mr Banks, starring Emma Thompson as Travers and Tom Hanks as Walt Disney.

Blunt will next be seen in The Huntsman: Winter’s War and the big screen adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel, The Girl on the Train.