Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried discuss the challenges and music choices for Mamma Mia 3.
Mamma Mia 3
Will the Sun Ever Rise on Kalokairi Again?
Imagine standing on a sun-drenched pier in Greece, waiting for a boat that has been delayed for seven years. That is the current state of the Mamma Mia! fandom.
While the world is ready to dance, the two women at the heart of the story are caught between creative excitement and the grueling reality of Hollywood’s “development hell.”
Meryl Streep, now 74, recently sparked a firestorm of hope at the Cannes Film Festival. When she admitted to Deadline.com that she has “no idea” how Donna Sheridan returns from the grave, she wasn’t being dismissive.
She was being honest about the franchise’s biggest hurdle. “Of course I want to do it,” she noted, confirming that the desire is there, even if the logic is missing.
The most telling detail? Her reveal that the producers “have an idea” and she is set to hear it “pretty soon.” This suggests the project has moved past “wishful thinking” and into the “pitch” phase.
The Producer in Sophie’s Clothing
While Streep is waiting for the call, Amanda Seyfried is seemingly ready to make the call herself. Seyfried, who brought Sophie Sheridan to life, has been vocal about her frustration.
“I wish I were producing because I would’ve made it already,” she told ScreenRant. Her irritation stems from a simple truth: the Mamma Mia! cast is a sprawling family of A-listers.
Aligning the schedules of Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, and Christine Baranski is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle for a third time.
The “King Kong Song” vs. The Classics
Perhaps the most insightful take from Seyfried is her stance on the soundtrack. There is a common belief that a third film needs deep-cut ABBA tracks to feel fresh.
Seyfried disagrees. She argues that we don’t need the “King Kong Song”—an obscure 1975 track—just for the sake of novelty.
The soul of this franchise lies in the hits. Fans want the catharsis of “Super Trouper” and the comfort of “Chiquitita.”
The deep dive into the franchise’s history reveals that the most successful moments often come from re-contextualizing the classics.
Hearing “Dancing Queen” in the first film was a celebration of youth; hearing it in the second was a tribute to a legacy. A third film doesn’t need a new catalog; it needs a new reason to sing the songs we already love.
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Part 3
The “Counter-Intuitive Advice” for the producers is simple: stop looking backward. Many assume that because the sequel succeeded as a prequel, the third film should explore more of the 1970s.
However, the emotional weight now rests on Sophie’s shoulders. To make Mamma Mia 3 work, the story must move forward into the complexities of Sophie raising her own child, perhaps finding Streep’s Donna not through flashbacks, but through the “spirit” of the island and the shared memories of her three fathers.
The path to Kalokairi is currently blocked by music rights and calendar conflicts, but the heart of the project remains beating.
As Streep says, the folks love it—and in Hollywood, that love is usually the ultimate green light.
Breaking celebrity news and hot gossip. We deliver the juiciest stories and trending star updates fast.