The cast and the plot are the same as the original movie, but as the ship departs and embarks on its ill fated voyage, we see Mary Poppins, descending from the sky & landing on the Poseidon rather than with the Banks family of Cherry Tree Lane. She joins the characters through their harrowing adventure. You are writing a treatment for a new proposal for Netflix.
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Treatment Proposal for Netflix: Poseidon & Poppins
Genre: Adventure | Fantasy | Thriller
Logline: When the luxury ocean liner Poseidon capsizes during a New Year’s Eve celebration, the survivors fight for their lives to reach the surface — with a surprising companion: Mary Poppins. Descending from the sky onto the doomed ship, Mary brings an uncanny charm, wit, and magical interventions that both confound and empower the group through their harrowing journey to safety.
Overview
In this high-stakes Poseidon Adventure remake, Netflix blends fantasy, suspense, and humor by inserting the timeless character of Mary Poppins into a disaster narrative. While the ship faces chaos and death, Mary Poppins’s surreal presence provides bursts of whimsy, unpredictability, and emotional growth as she joins the survivors in their struggle to escape the sunken ship.
Her appearance adds both levity and mystery, blurring the line between the real and the fantastical. Why is she here? Is this all a strange, metaphysical lesson for the survivors — or just an exceptionally odd coincidence? As viewers embark on this breathless survival tale, they will encounter unexpected moments of wonder amid the terror, reinterpreting the disaster genre through a lens of fantasy.
Tone & Style
Poseidon & Poppins will maintain the suspense and tension of the original movie, with terrifying set-pieces inside the capsized ship and thrilling encounters with rising water and crumbling interiors. However, Mary Poppins’s whimsical charm introduces an offbeat twist, bringing in moments of humor, surrealism, and visual spectacle. Think of it as a genre mash-up in the vein of Pan’s Labyrinth meets Titanic, laced with the heartfelt humor of Paddington.
Plot Summary
As in the original Poseidon, the action begins on New Year’s Eve aboard the luxurious ocean liner. A towering rogue wave hits the ship, flipping it upside down, and chaos erupts. The survivors, led by Dylan (Josh Lucas) and Robert (Kurt Russell), must find a way through the inverted wreckage to reach the surface. But just as the Poseidon’s engines rumble to life at departure, a curious figure descends from the sky under the glow of fireworks: Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt).
Though the passengers assume she’s part of the ship’s entertainment, it soon becomes clear she’s far more than she seems. Armed with her magical carpet bag, endless wit, and an eerie knack for showing up exactly when needed, Mary decides to join the survivors. She insists she was “meant to be here,” and though Dylan and the others are skeptical, they quickly realize her uncanny abilities may be their best chance of survival.
Key Scenes
1. The Inverted Ballroom
As the rogue wave flips the ship, survivors scramble to escape the ballroom. The group first notices Mary Poppins’s magic when she opens her bottomless carpet bag to retrieve a massive inflatable raft that saves them from the rising water. As panic spreads, Mary sings a calming verse, magically slowing the rushing floodwaters just enough to give the survivors a slim head start.
2. The Fire and the Flood
In a tense sequence, the group must pass through an engine room filling with water while avoiding bursts of fire from broken gas lines. Mary, cheerfully indifferent to the danger, floats across the room with her umbrella while the others leap across machinery. When they become trapped, Mary produces a tiny glass bottle, which unleashes a magical gust of wind that extinguishes the fire.
3. The Siren of the Deep
As the survivors ascend through the Poseidon’s underwater decks, they encounter strange hallucinations and whispers — caused by the psychological stress of oxygen deprivation. Mary Poppins navigates the illusions with ease, hinting that she’s no stranger to bending reality. She reassures the group by singing a haunting lullaby that grounds them and clears their minds, allowing them to continue forward.
4. The Emotional Reckoning
Midway through the journey, the characters confront their deepest fears and regrets. Mary Poppins turns this moment into a bizarre yet touching therapy session, producing objects from her carpet bag that symbolize each character’s internal struggle. Dylan, who hides his guilt over abandoning his family, finds an old photograph in the bag that reawakens his hope. Mary’s interventions transform the survivors’ relationships, bringing out their courage and vulnerabilities as they inch closer to escape.
5. The Final Escape
As the group nears the surface, they encounter the last, most dangerous obstacle: the underwater propeller shaft. With the ocean closing in and the shaft spinning wildly, it seems impossible to pass through. Mary Poppins, however, folds the survivors into her umbrella, shrinking them down to doll-size and carrying them safely through the gears. Just as the group bursts through to the surface, she snaps the umbrella open, and they return to normal size on the deck of a lifeboat.
Themes and Character Development
- Survival vs. Surrender: The survivors wrestle with despair, fear, and the urge to give up. Mary Poppins challenges them to see that survival isn’t just about physical endurance but also about rediscovering joy and emotional connection in the darkest of moments.
- Redemption and Growth: Each character has personal demons, guilt, or lost hope that they must confront throughout their escape. Mary Poppins serves as an emotional guide, subtly coaxing each of them toward self-forgiveness and renewed purpose.
- The Extraordinary in the Ordinary: Mary Poppins brings magic to the most mundane of situations. Whether it’s transforming a life-or-death crawl through air vents into an impromptu adventure or turning a pipe burst into an aquatic waltz, she forces the survivors to reframe their terrifying situation with curiosity and wonder.
Casting Choices
Mary Poppins: Emily Blunt
Blunt brings the perfect mix of charm, wit, and depth to the role. She can play both the whimsical aspects of Mary and the slightly eerie moments when her magic feels just a bit too knowing.Dylan Johns: Josh Lucas
Robert Ramsey: Kurt Russell
Jennifer Ramsey: Emmy Rossum
Richard Nelson: Richard Dreyfuss
Elena Morales: Mia Maestro
Lucky Larry: Kevin Dillon
Visual Approach and Effects
The film’s visual aesthetic will alternate between gritty realism and moments of surreal fantasy. The wreckage scenes will feel claustrophobic and visceral, shot with natural lighting and tight framing to convey tension. Mary’s magic, however, will introduce bursts of vibrant color and whimsical imagery — such as an underwater staircase that becomes a spiral galaxy or bubbles that carry whispered secrets.
The CGI and practical effects will blend seamlessly, especially for the underwater sequences. For example, Mary’s carpet bag might function like a magical portal, hinting at infinite depths inside it. The final rescue scene, where the survivors shrink inside the umbrella, will offer a stunning, dreamlike visual experience, creating a memorable climax.
Conclusion
Poseidon & Poppins offers Netflix a unique, genre-bending adventure with wide appeal. Thriller and disaster fans will appreciate the high-stakes escape sequences, while family audiences will enjoy the heart, humor, and magic that Mary Poppins brings. The film balances tension and whimsy in a way that transforms the disaster genre, turning it into a hopeful, fantastical journey about survival, redemption, and the magic hidden in every moment — even the most dangerous ones.
