William Weatherall Wilkins

"A wolf in sheep's clothing."

- Wilkins' most famous line, also foreshadowing his true nature

William Weatherall Wilkins is the main antagonist of Disney's 2018 film Mary Poppins Returns. He is the former president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank and the nephew of Mr. Dawes Jr., the great-nephew of Mr. Dawes Sr., and the former boss of Michael Banks.

He was portrayed by the Academy Award winning actor Colin Firth, who also played Lord Henry Wotton in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Geoffrey Thwaites in St. Tritians, and Bill Haydon in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Personality
While he acts polite and charming when people first see him, Wilkins is actually a ruthless and corrupt corporate executive. This is represented in the Royal Dalton Bowl, where his counterpart is a wolf who pretends to be as docile as a lamb, signifying how Wilkins is a metaphorical "wolf in sheep's clothing".

Biography
Wilkins was first seen arriving with his lawyers to the Banks' house, where he posted a repossession notice on the front door, due to Michael Banks falling behind on his loan payments ever since his wife Kate died a year ago. Wilkins informs Michael that he has until Friday to pay off the entire loan or he and his family will have to move out from the property.

As Michael and his children think of several ways to pay off the loan (with the help from their nanny Mary Poppins), the children were about to deliver Michael's briefcase to the bank, only to eavesdrop on Wilkins and his associates of their plot to repossess the house along with several more; even burning out several important records left by Michael's father George to ensure that he would succeed. The children tried to warn Michael about Wilkins' intentions, but Michael is unable to speak out for them as Wilkins dismisses the claims.

Just as the Banks family is about to move out on Friday, Michael spotted on his old kite a drawing that happens to be part of a certificate that proves their ownership. Despite Mary and Jack's attempts to help the Banks family deliver the certificate to the bank, they are missing the pieces with the signatures right before the clock strikes twelve at midnight. A triumphant Wilkins is about to declare victory, but it wasn't until the arrival of his uncle Mr. Dawes Jr., who happily informs Michael that George made some good investments that will allow the Banks family to keep their house. Mr. Dawes also informed that he caught wind of Wilkins' true intentions of driving more people out of their homes, and Wilkins ends up being fired, much to his distraught, and is then escorted away from the bank by Hamilton and Frye.

Wilkins is last seen walking on the carnival seeing several people floating away into the air while holding several small balloons. He tries to join them because he thinks he would not lose anything trying, but ends up grabbing the wrong balloon and falls into the ground. This is the last time Wilkins is seen in the movie, so it could be suggested that he left London in disgrace or his uncle got him arrested afterwards for his actions. To the fullest, Wilkins at least lost his position in the bank and is now jobless as the people he drived to poverty.

Trivia

 * Wilkins is similar to his great-uncle Mr. Dawes Sr. as they both ran the bank with questionable means. However, unlike Mr. Dawes Sr., Wilkins is more corrupt in general; even Mr. Dawes Jr. scoffs at Wilkins' actions against the Banks family.