Mamma Mia 3 is still a possibility, and if it finally happens, Amanda Seyfried has one song request for her character, which gives the movie its perfect story, but faces one problem. For years, different musicals have jumped from the stage to the big screen, and in 2008, it was Mamma Mia’s turn. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson (based on her book from the musical), Mamma Mia takes the audience to the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi to meet Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) and her daughter Sophie (Seyfried).
Donna is preparing everything for Sophie’s wedding, but what she isn’t counting on is Sophie secretly inviting three former flames of Donna to the wedding, as one of them is her father – but neither Donna nor they know who’s Sophie’s father. What follows is Donna facing her past with Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Stellan Skarsgård), and Harry (Colin Firth), while Sophie tries to learn about her past. Mamma Mia and its sequel use songs by ABBA to tell Donna and Sophie’s stories, and for the third movie, Seyfried wants to sing one song, which gives the sequel the perfect story.
Amanda Seyfried Wants To Sing “Mamma Mia” In The Third Movie – & It’s Fitting
Sophie Hasn’t Sung “Mamma Mia” Yet
Every main character in both Mamma Mia movies so far has sung at least one song, and in some cases, they sang the same more than once, though in different timelines. Such is the case of Donna, who has sung the movie’s title song twice: once as an adult and once when she was young. In Mamma Mia, Donna sings the title song when she learns that Bill, Harry, and Sam are in her hotel and tries (and fails) to avoid being seen by them.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is both a sequel and a prequel, catching up with Sophie some time after the events of the first movie and going back to 1979 to follow a young Donna (Lily James). The timeline set in the past explores how Donna met Sam, Bill, and Harry, and when Sam leaves the island, Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn) and Rosie (Alexa Davies) visit Donna to cheer her up and sing “Mamma Mia” as Donna and the Dynamos. Now, Amanda Seyfried told SiriusXM’s The Spotlight (via EW) that she dreams of singing “Mamma Mia”.
To give Sophie the chance to sing “Mamma Mia”, the third movie could focus on her now as a mother as Donny finds his path.
Seyfried said that Sophie needs a shot at singing “Mamma Mia”, as so far it has been Donna’s song – and that can give Mamma Mia 3 its perfect story. Mamma Mia 2 revealed that Donna passed away some time before the movie began, so Sophie would be the main character in Mamma Mia 3. At the end of Mamma Mia 2, Sophie and Sky (Dominic Cooper) have their first son, Donny, so to give Sophie the chance to sing “Mamma Mia”, the third movie could focus on her now as a mother as Donny finds his path, very much like she did in the first movie.
Sophie Singing “Mamma Mia” In A Third Movie Faces One Obstacle
The Mamma Mia Timeline Is Confusing
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was released 10 years after the first movie, but the events of the sequel don’t seem to take place a decade later. Mamma Mia 2 was released in 2018, so only six years have passed, and it wouldn’t be enough time for Sophie’s son to be at least a teenager going through his adventures and heartbreaks so Sophie can have her “Mamma Mia” moment. Due to how inconsistent the timeline has been in Mamma Mia so far, it’s hard to predict when the third movie could be set.
The time setting for Mamma Mia 3 will most likely depend on the story it will tell. If it decides to give Sophie her well-deserved “Mamma Mia” moment, the third movie could play with its own timeline again and be set as many years after Mamma Mia 2 as it needs, without caring if it matches the year it’s released on. If it focuses on Sophie and Sky’s first months or years as parents, Mamma Mia 3 wouldn’t have to go too far into the future, and it could still find a way to give Sophie her “Mamma Mia” musical number.
Will Mamma Mia 3 Ever Happen?
Mamma Mia 3 Has Been In Development For Too Long
The biggest question surrounding Mamma Mia 3 is not where the story will take Sophie now that Donna is gone, but if it will ever happen. A sequel to Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was announced to be in development in 2020 by producer Judy Craymer, and even mentioned that some of the songs written for ABBA’s reunion could be part of the movie. Since then, no real updates on the development or future of Mamma Mia 3 have been given beyond the cast expressing interest and excitement in possibly returning.
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I Really Need Mamma Mia 3 To Bring This Character Back (It’s Not Meryl Streep’s)
Mamma Mia 3 has gotten a promising update, and if it happens, I really need it to bring one character back from the second movie, and it’s not Donna.
At the time of writing, the most recent update was given by Christine Baranski, who told THR in August 2024 that she had met with Craymer and they talked about the development of Mamma Mia 3, with Craymer telling Baranski the narrative for it. Mamma Mia 3 might not happen any time soon, but there’s hope after seeing how long it took for the first movie to get a sequel.
Mamma Mia!
The Mamma Mia! franchise is a jukebox musical romantic comedy series based on the 1999 stage musical of the same name, which uses the songs of the iconic pop group ABBA. The films follow the relationships between Sophie Sheridan, her mother Donna, and three men who could be Sophie’s father, set against the picturesque backdrop of a Greek island. With its heartwarming storyline, infectious music, and star-studded cast, the franchise explores themes of love, family, and self-discovery.
- Created by
- Catherine Johnson , Phyllida Lloyd , Ol Parker
Summary
The Mamma Mia! franchise is a jukebox musical romantic comedy series based on the 1999 stage musical of the same name, which uses the songs of the iconic pop group ABBA. The films follow the relationships between Sophie Sheridan, her mother Donna, and three men who could be Sophie’s father, set against the picturesque backdrop of a Greek island. With its heartwarming storyline, infectious music, and star-studded cast, the franchise explores themes of love, family, and self-discovery.