It has always been a dream of Rob Marshall’s to conceive an original musical specifically for film. The Oscar®-nominated (Chicago), Emmy® and DGA Award-winning director, who began his career on the Broadway stage as a choreographer and director, is responsible for the successful screen adaptations of Chicago, Nine, and Into the Woods, and understands the world of film and the world of Broadway musicals in a unique and personal way. Mary Poppins Returns, the sequel to the 1964 classic Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews as the beloved nanny, was a chance for Marshall to create an homage to the classic movie musicals of his youth.