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The Anthropomorphic Zoo from Mary Poppins Returns

Jamie Baker concept for Anthropomorphic Zoo sequence of Mary Poppins Returns

Developed at ACW the animated sequence in Mary Poppins Returns consisted of a whole other song that never saw the light of day “The Anthropomorphic Zoo”. Jamie Baker, Jim Capobianco and animation production designer Jeff Turley spent quite a bit of time developing the sequence. It was a lot of fun and had some really interesting gags in it. The whole conceit was that the animals were outside the cages and the humans mostly lawyers, bankers, politicians - the usual group we all wish were locked away were the exhibits. All handled with satire and tongue and check jokes, it was a unique and quite a daring concept from the original Mary Poppins book and was actually developed for the original 1964 film but was also abandoned.

Original Art from Walt Disney Archives of the Anthropomorphic Zoo developed for the original Mary Poppins then called The Chimp-pan-zoo .

Here is a link to an article about the sequence with the music and also some of the storyboards done by Jamie and Jim. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2019/03/08/mary-poppins-returns-hear-missing-song-anthropomorphic-zoo/3097036002/

The sequence will also be featured in the extras on the Mary Poppins Returns Blu-Ray and DVD.