Dame #JulieAndrews Takes on #MaryPoppinsReturns at Box Office

It looks like Julie Andrews will be spending the Christmas box office season as part of the #DCEU instead of on Cherry Tree Lane with the Banks children.

In something of a surprise move, it's been revealed that Andrews, 83, will be playing a sea creature known as Karathen in Aquaman rather than appearing in one form or another in the highly-anticipated Mary Poppins Returns. Andrews' decision has nothing to do with any sort of bitterness against Disney or the role that helped make her a household name; rather, she has done nothing but voiced her full support for Mary Poppins Returns and indicated that she would rather not somehow take anything away from Emily Blunt's portrayal by appearing in the project.

Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall said there was some consideration about whether or not to include Andrews in some small way in the movie, but it was Andrews herself who ultimately made the call. According to Marshall, "Julie was incredibly gracious, and we talked about it in a very general way but she made it clear right up front. She said, ‘This is Emily’s show, and I really want it to be Emily’s show. I don’t want it to be, “Oh, here comes that Mary Poppins.” I don’t want that. I really want her to take this and run with it, because she will be brilliant.’”

Certainly, this graciousness is something for which Andrews has become known in Hollywood circles, but her participation in Aquaman up until this point has been a fairly well-kept secret. Aquaman producer Peter Safran revealed that there was always some degree of consideration for having a British actress play the role of Karathen, who helps Arthur Curry (#JasonMomoa) on his journey in the movie. According to Safran, Andrews was "excited" about the prospect of taking on the part in Aquaman.

"We wanted the Karathen to have the voice of a classic British actress, albeit somewhat digitally altered," he explained. "And when we found out Julie was interested and available and excited to do it, casting her was a no-brainer."

The role is something of a first for Andrews, who is not exactly known for her roles in the superhero realm. She is, of course, more known for playing super nannies rather than with superheroes; many might argue that her roles in the original Mary Poppins, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, or in The Sound of Music, for which she snagged a Best Actress nomination, are more in line with Andrews' usual acting roles. Even as a voice actress, Andrews typically takes on more nurturing, maternal roles. She portrayed Fiona's mother the Queen in the Shrek series of films and played Marlena in Despicable Me and Despicable Me 3. Some might say that the closest role to the superhero realm that Julie Andrews touched was as one of the tooth fairies in Tooth Fairy; she was able to fly, after all.

This voice role as Karathen in Aquaman is a definite change for the ever-adaptable Andrews, who has continued to be very active in the world of the arts although her appearances on both the big and small screens have been selective. She's directed a stage production of My Fair Lady (some might see that as somewhat ironic, as she was turned down for the film version of My Fair Lady in favor of Audrey Hepburn), is a prolific children's book author with daughter Emma Hamilton, and has appeared on Netflix in the short-lived Julie's Greenroom.

Mary Poppins Returns and Aquaman open within days of each other, with Mary Poppins Returns hitting theaters Dec. 19, 2018 and Aquaman bowing December 21. Wouldn't it be an interesting twist if Aquaman, with the original Mary Poppins, beats Mary Poppins Returns at the box office?