Mamma Mia! left a lasting impression in 2008 as the cast transported viewers to Greece while singing ABBA ’s greatest hits — and one film just wasn’t enough. Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried captivated audiences as mother-daughter duo Donna and Sophie in the original movie. In hopes of getting answers about her father’s identity, Sophie contacts three of her mom’s former flames — Sam ( Pierce Brosnan ), Bill ( Stellan Skarsgård ) and Harry ( Colin Firth ) — before her wedding.
While fans never officially learn who Sophie’s dad is, the men all agree to stay in her life as father figures. Meanwhile, the love story that plays out between Donna and Sam makes viewers lust for a European fairy tale of their own. A decade after the musical’s success, producer Judy Craymer gave fans a second film filled with more ABBA tunes and mischief on the Greek isles.
2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again introduced viewers to a young Donna, played by Lily James , and her three whirlwind romances. You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Donna’s origin story also brought Cher into the mix as her mother, Ruby Sheridan.
The entire original cast also returned including Donna’s grown-up BFFs Rosie ( Julie Walters ) and Tanya ( Christine Baranski ), who played a big part in both stories. After the success of the first two films, Craymer also teased the possibility of a third blockbuster — and many of the movie’s stars have hinted at wanting to go back to Greece one last time. Scroll down to see what the cast and creators of the Mamma Mia! franchise have said about making it a trilogy: Credit: Universal Pictures/Relativity Media/Littlestar/Playtone/Kobal/Shutterstock Everything Amanda Seyfried and More ‘Mamma Mia!’ Stars Have Said About a Possible 3rd Movie Mamma Mia! left a lasting impression in 2008 as the cast transported viewers to Greece while singing ABBA ’s greatest hits — and one film just wasn’t enough.
Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried captivated audiences as mother-daughter duo Donna and Sophie in the original movie. In hopes of getting answers about her father’s identity, Sophie contacts three of her mom’s former flames — Sam ( Pierce Brosnan ), Bill ( Stellan Skarsgård ) and Harry ( Colin Firth ) — before her wedding. While fans never officially learn who Sophie's dad is, the men all agree to stay in her life as father figures.
Meanwhile, the love story that plays out between Donna and Sam makes viewers lust for a European fairy tale of their own. A decade after the musical’s success, producer Judy Craymer gave fans a second film filled with more ABBA tunes and mischief on the Greek isles. 2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again introduced viewers to a young Donna, played by Lily James , and her three whirlwind romances.
Donna's origin story also brought Cher into the mix as her mother, Ruby Sheridan. The entire original cast also returned including Donna’s grown-up BFFs Rosie ( Julie Walters ) and Tanya ( Christine Baranski ), who played a big part in both stories. After the success of the first two films, Craymer also teased the possibility of a third blockbuster — and many of the movie’s stars have hinted at wanting to go back to Greece one last time.
Scroll down to see what the cast and creators of the Mamma Mia! franchise have said about making it a trilogy: Credit: Universal Pictures/Relativity Media/Littlestar/Playtone/Kobal/Shutterstock Universal Wants It “I was meant to have been getting on with that, in my head, during these months. But then I got hit with Covid fog,” Craymer told Baz Bamigboye for the Daily Mail in June 2020. “I think one day there will be another film, because there’s meant to be a trilogy, you see.
I know Universal would like me to do it.” Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock Not Enough Music? “Listen, every single person in that movie would say yes in a heartbeat, because we want to hang out with each other,” Seyfried told Collider in an interview published in June 2020. “That’s what we talked about last time, like, did we ever think that we’d end up here again on an island in Croatia?” The Mank actress, however, questioned whether it could actually come to fruition based on how many ABBA songs are currently available.
“So yeah, I wish there was a Mamma Mia! 3 . But I’ll tell you what — I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, and I hope I’m wrong again. I don’t think there are enough ABBA songs to make a third movie,” she continued.
“Because we’d have to use ‘Super Trooper’ again and we’d have to use ‘Mamma Mia’ again and have to use them in a different way.” Credit: Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock Lily Is on Board “Yes, I would do 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. I’m down,” James said during an October 2020 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon amid rumors of a third film.
“I’m down. Signed, sealed, delivered, I’m theirs.” On a January 2023 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show , host Kelly Clarkson asked James about the possibility of a third Mama Mia film.
“I would love to do the next one,” the star replied. “I think it should be about how The Dynamos formed. Which is my idea but then maybe I could be in it.
But it’s also a good idea.” Credit: Greg Allen/Invision/AP/Shutterstock Amanda Is Ready for More The Mean Girls actress revealed whether she’d be up for another Mamma Mia! movie or would rather have a third child during an appearance on T he Late Show With Stephen Colbert in April 2021. "Definitely third Mamma Mia! , definitely no third child,” she laughed.
"If it was up to me, yes, of course, there would be eight Mamma Mias . Do you know how much fun that is?" Credit: Jonathan Prime/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock Christine Is Hopeful It’ll Happen "I hope if they are deciding to do it, it better be soon because a lot of us are not getting any younger,” Baranski told Today’s Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager in April 2021. “We don't want to be singing and dancing [and] needing a walker.
We all want a Mamma Mia! 3 because we have so much fun making these movies. Both movies were two joyous experiences.” Credit: Jonathan Prime/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock Trilogy Dreams Craymer teased the possibility of making another film while speaking with the Daily Mail+ in August 2021, saying, “As we say in the film world, that’s in the works.
It has to be a trilogy. Everyone wants to come back and do it, so it’s being worked on. I think they all have to be back.
” She hinted that Cher’s character could be a big focus in the third installment. “We haven’t finished her story yet,” the producer continued. “There could be a couple of new ABBA songs.
I think there are songs that haven’t been used from the ABBA catalog.” Credit: Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock Stellan Jokes About New Characters Skarsgård suggested that his Dune costar Dave Bautista join the cast of the next movie. “I wish I could say.
It took 10 years between Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! 2 — if it’s going to take another 10 years, then I’ll be dead,” he joked during an October 2021 interview with Screen Rant . “I’m worried we might not get there. But if they call, I will say yes immediately, because the experience of doing those two films was fantastic.
” Bautista chimed in, saying, “It’s not going to be 10 years. I guarantee you that people are on the phone; they’ve been anticipating this. And there is such a search for good entertainment, with all the new outlets that are constantly in search of media.
I think there have been phone calls made, and Stellan will get a phone call when he gets home.” Skarsgård was excited about possibly starring in the next chapter of the musical films, adding, “And hopefully you’ll be in it, Dave. We talked about that.
I want to dance with David on an island in Greece.” Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock The More Glitter Spandex, the Better "If we could go back and have the same amount of good fun and be on a Greek island together filming and dining together at night at some wonderful trattoria or taverna, I don't think anybody would give you an argument," Baranski told Entertainment Weekly in January 2022. She noted that the biggest snag could be everyone’s schedules.
"It's a nightmare to get that sort of a cast together," the Good Fight alum added. Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock The Time is Right After admitting that she was "desperate" to be part of a third Mamma Mia film, James noted that it's the perfect time for audiences to enjoy some feel-good fun. "Why isn't it happening? We all need it," she said during a February 2022 interview with ScreenRant .
"[There's] been COVID, it's been terrible ...
Let's do Mamma Mia ." However, the Pam and Tommy star does have one caveat: "But only if I'm in it!" Credit: John Nacion/NurPhoto/Shutterstock The Plot Doesn't Matter Seyfriend told Variety in May 2022 that she wanted to see a third installment of the Mama Mia franchise before she turns 40 but said she had no idea what the premise would be. “Somebodies gotta come up with an idea, I just don’t know where that idea goes.
I don't know what to do," she explained on the Variety Power of Women red carpet at the time. "Who cares? The plot doesn't even matter at this point. ABBA has got new songs, throw them in there, and get the cast together again.
On if she thought the rest of the cast would be up for the film, The Dropout actor was positive everyone would jump at the chance. “Meryl [Streep] absolutely would come back for the entirety of it,” she revealed. “Listen — it’s very indulgent for us.
We just want to go back to Greece and dance around. And then people love that so, you know, we would be doing a service to ourselves and to the fans.” Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock Pierce Is Ready to Return "I'm in, too.
Sure," Brosnan said on Good Morning America in October 2022 after learning that Firth previously said he’d make a comeback. "It's criminal how much fun you have on that movie. I think everybody would be in.
" When asked whether Mamma Mia! 3 was actually being worked on, the Black Adam actor teased, "Yes, of course, I'm sure there's some plans." Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock Producer Planned for a Threequel Ol Parker , who directed Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again , said a third has always been intended. " Judy Craymer , the genius producer behind the musical and the first two films, always plans for it to be a trilogy," Parker told ScreenRant in December 2022.
"That's all I can say. The first one made an enormous amount of money, and I think we made a fair amount too. I know that there is a hunger for a third, and I know that she has a plan.
Wouldn't it be lovely?" Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock Amanda Seyfried Is ‘Waiting’ for More News “[I] have absolutely no power,” the Big Wedding star joked to Entertainment Tonight in January 2023 at the Critics’ Choice Awards. “We are waiting for the call! There are enough ABBA songs. Judy Craymer, [who is the musical creator] is 100 percent on board, I don’t know what the Universal people are doing.
" Credit: Jonathan Prime/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock Pierce Brosnan Wants to Complete the ‘Trifecta’ “I think everyone would love to come back to make a third,” Brosnan told E! News in May 2023, even referring to the franchise as a trifecta. “There's such love and joy to it. There's a story to be told, I'm sure.
” Credit: Cover Images Meryl Weighs In "If there’s an idea that excites me, I’m totally there,” Streep told Vogue in September 2023 of returning for a third movie, despite her character being killed off in the 2018 sequel. "I’m up for anything ..
. I told [our producer] Judy if she could figure out a way to reincarnate Donna, I’m into that. Or it could be like in one of those soap operas where Donna comes back and reveals it was really her twin sister that died.
" Streep added: "We may have to call it Grand-Mamma Mia! by the time we make it!" Speaking to Deadline in May 2024, Streep said that a meeting where she’d hear proposals for her return was “imminent.” She also addressed the matter of her character’s death. “I don’t know how they’re going to [work around it].
They have an idea. I haven’t heard it yet but ..
. I’m going to hear about it pretty soon,” she said. “Of course I want to do it.
I think folks love it.” Credit: Cover Images The Dads Are on Board All three of Sophie’s potential father figures told Vogue in September 2023 that they are game for a third movie. "I’d be there like a shot for all of the reasons I’ve given about the joys of making the first two films," Firth said about returning as Harry.
"There just has to be a good enough idea to reunite us. It doesn’t have to be a good idea in any lofty sense, but it just has to be a good enough script to give us another go." Brosnan, for his part, noted “that “[our producer] Judy knows where to find me if they wanna have a third go around.
I think everybody would feel the same way if she said, 'I have a story, I have the script.' We’d all do it in a heartbeat." Skarsgård echoed Brosnan’s sentiments.
"I doubt any of us would shy away from doing another one. It’s just a matter of finding enough songs to come up with a new story,” he said before joking, “I will be in an urn by the time there’s a script for Mamma Mia 3 , but I will gladly participate as a pile of ashes." Credit: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic A Trilogy Is the Vision Craymer said she "definitely" pictures Mamma Mia! as a trilogy during an oral history of the film with Vogue in September 2023.
"We went back and forth in time with the second one, so now we have the creative license to explore this world further," she shared. "We still don’t really know what happened to Lily James’s version of Donna in those middle years. Or what happens to Donna and Sam after the first movie? Will Harry ever settle down?" She added: “I think we have to bring a certain closure to these characters.
All of their odysseys lead them back to the island, because that’s where they all want to be in their older years." Credit: Lionel Hahn/Getty Images It’s Not Up to Amanda While on the 2024 Golden Globes red carpet in January 2024, Seyfried shared that if the decision to make a third Mamma Mia movie was up to her it “would have happened” already. After sharing her thoughts on the potential next movie, Seyfriend ran into Streep on the red carpet, and the duo shared a sweet embrace.
Credit: Cover Images Christine Says ‘Mamma Mia’ Producers Are ‘Planning’ Film No. 3 “I was in London with [producer] Judy Craymer at our favorite watering hole, she is planning Mamma Mia 3 ,” Baranski told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2024. “She gave me the narrative plotline of how it’s going to happen.
That’s all I can say!” She teased, “It’s not like, ‘Oh, I wish it could happen!’ Judy Craymer makes things happen. She made No. 2 happen, and it was a phenomenal hit.
I wouldn’t put it past Judy Craymer to get everybody back together.” In order to view the gallery, please allow Manage Cookies For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!.
