Colin Farrell negotiating to play Emma Thompson’s father in Mary Poppins story Saving Mr. Banks

It’s been over two months since we heard of any movement on the slice-of-history film SAVING MR. BANKS, but that changes with the news that Colin Farrell is currently in talks to join Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks in the tale of Walt Disney’s “14-year courtship to persuade Australian author P.L. Travers to sell him rights to make a film out of Mary Poppins.” Hanks wil play Disney, Thompson will play Travers, and if talks go through Farrell will take on the relatively pivotal role of Travers’ father.

“The inspiration for the Mr. Banks character played by David Tomlinson [in MARY POPPINS, shown above],” Travers’ father and his death when she was only seven years old had a profound effect on her.  Indeed, the “heart of this script comes from how close Travers felt to her story of a nanny with magical powers. Mary Poppins was highly personal, and reflected hardships in her own life and her relationship with her father,” and Travers remained opposed to Disney’s interpretation of her work all the way to the end.  

No start date for shooting has yet been set, but I would think it makes sense to look for this next movie from John Lee Hancock (THE BLIND SIDE) sometime around awards season 2013.