During last night's Academy Awards, Disney dropped the first teaser trailer for Mary Poppins Returns, the highly-anticipated sequel to Julie Andrews' children's classic starring Emily Blunt as the magical nanny.

Everyone remembers Disney's original for its bright and colourful whimsy, but the trailer for Returns casts its London setting with dark skies and a brewing storm.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Jack and Joel Dawson's young Georgie Banks chase a kite as it's whipped away by strong winds, only for it to sail up into the sky where the pair see the clouds part, making way for Mary Poppins floating down with her umbrella.

The heavy skies indicate all is not well at the Banks household, where Michael and Jane are now grown-up with children of their own, and it's going to take their beloved nanny to set things right.

Following the title reveal, we see Ben Whishaw and Emily Mortimer as Michael and Jane shocked by the return of their beloved nanny, then Blunt in Poppins' familiar blue and red outfit.

Directed by Into the Woods' Rob Marshall, Mary Poppins Returns stars Blunt, Miranda, Whishaw and Mortimer alongside young Joel Dawson, Nathanael Saleh and Pixie Davis as the Banks children, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury and Meryl Streep as Mary's cousin Topsy.

Dick Van Dyke also features, not as chimney sweep Bert or Mr Dawes Sr, but as the latter's son Mr Dawes Jr.

The new film is loosely based on the seven follow-up books P. L. Travers wrote following the original's success, and will feature original songs from veterans Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

An official synopsis reads:

"Mary Poppins Returns stars Emily Blunt as the practically-perfect nanny with unique magical skills who can turn any task into an unforgettable, fantastic adventure; Lin-Manuel Miranda as her friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light—and life—to the streets of London; Ben Whishaw as Michael Banks; Emily Mortimer as Jane Banks; and Julie Walters as the Banks' housekeeper Ellen; with Colin Firth as Fidelity Fiduciary Bank's William Weatherall Wilkins; and Meryl Streep as Mary's eccentric cousin, Topsy.

"The film also introduces three new Banks' children played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and newcomer Joel Dawson. Angela Lansbury appears as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from the PL Travers books and Dick Van Dyke is Mr. Dawes Jr., the retired chairman of the bank now run by Firth's character."

Disney