Emily Mortimer to play Jane Banks in Mary Poppins sequel

Emily Mortimer has joined the cast of the Mary Poppins sequel.

The Shutter Island star will play a grown-up Jane Banks - one of the young children the beloved nanny cared for in the 1964 film, based upon books by P. L. Travers. Spectre star Ben Whishaw has been cast to play Jane's brother Michael and Meryl Streep will take on the role of Mary Poppins' cousin Topsy.

Mary Poppins Returns will be set 20 years after the original, as the grown-up Michael, originally portrayed by child star Matthew Garber, is trying to cope after experiencing a personal loss. His magical former nanny, Mary Poppins, and her lamplighter friend Jack, set out to restore happiness in the Banks household.

Emily Blunt will lead the cast as Mary, while Hamilton star/creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will portray Jack.

Julie Andrews, whose portrayal of Mary in the original won her a Best Actress Oscar, and Dick Van Dyke, who played chimney sweep Bert, are in talks to make cameos in the new film.

In a recent interview, The Devil Wears Prada actress Blunt admitted she is yet to work out how she will follow Andrews in the role ahead of rehearsals which will begin in November (16).

"I think I just have to do my version of it," she told HeyYouGuys.com. "It's quite hard to sum up what my version of it is yet. I think I'm still trying to figure it out and work it out and I'm sure I'll have a better idea by the time I start shooting."

Mary Poppins Returns is scheduled for release in 2018.