Irish actor Colin Farrell is reportedly in talks to star in Disney’s upcoming ‘Saving Mr Banks’ feature, which follows the 14-year battle between Walt Disney and writer P.L. Travers for the rights to the ‘Mary Poppins’ novel.
Tom Hanks (Castaway) has already been cast as Disney in the film, which will be directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side). British actress Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee) will play Travers.
Deadline reports that, if cast, Farrell will play Travers’ father, who was the inspiration for the strict Mr Banks character played by David Tomlinson in the 1964 classic, which also starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
Shifting between the 1960s and 1907, the film will document the battle between Disney and Travers for the rights to the story, which was first published in 1934.
The project is due to begin shooting later this year.
