Dick Van Dyke returning for Mary Poppins sequel

Dick Van Dyke has confirmed his return for the Mary Poppins sequel.

The 91-year-old actor played chimney sweep Bert in the original and has announced his return for the sequel.

Van Dyke revealed his excitement for the film to The Hollywood Reporter:

“This one supposedly takes place 20 years later and the kids are all grown up.

“It’s a great cast – Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury and that guy (Lin-Manuel Miranda) from Hamilton.”

Emily Blunt stars as the titular character Mary Poppins, while Colin Firth, Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw have also signed up.

Van Dyke also told Entertainment Tonight that director Rob Marshall wants him to play the banker’s son in the sequel and he will start filming his scenes in the spring.

“I’ll be going to London in the spring to do my role, and I get to do a little song and dance number. I gotta be a part of it,” he said.

In the follow-up film, the children from the 1964 classic are grown up and are dealing with a “personal loss”, before they are visited again by their former nanny.

Mary Poppins Returns is set for a Christmas 2018 release.