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| Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again |
| Director | Ol Parker |
| Producer | Judy Craymer |
| Writer | Ol Parker |
| Based on | Mamma Mia! (musical) |
| Starring | Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Lily James |
| Music | ABBA |
| Cinematography | Christopher Ross |
| Editing | Mark Everson |
| Studio | Littlestar Productions, Playtone, Universal Pictures |
| Distributor | Universal Pictures |
| Released | 2018 |
| Runtime | 114 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom, United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $75 million |
| Gross | $395 million |
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a 2018 jukebox musical film directed by Ol Parker and produced by Judy Craymer that serves as both a sequel and a prequel to the stage musical Mamma Mia! and the 2008 film. The ensemble cast includes Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters and Lily James, and features music by ABBA with arrangements incorporating songs from the catalogue of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The film interweaves contemporary events on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi with flashbacks to the early 1970s, exploring parentage, memory, and celebration.
The narrative alternates between two timelines: the present-day preparations for a hotel reopening and flashbacks to the 1970s origin of relationships. In the present timeline, Sophie Sheridan manages the reopening of the hotel after the death of Donna Sheridan and uncovers secrets about her mother’s past involving three possible fathers—Sam Carmichael, Bill Anderson, and Harry Bright—while contending with the support of friends Tanya Chesham-Leigh and Rosie Mulligan. The flashback timeline follows young Donna’s arrival on Kalokairi, her friendships with Tanya and Rosie, her romances with Sam, Bill, and Harry, and her formation of the musical group Donna and the Dynamos, showing formative events that shaped the characters and the island community. Subplots involve family revelations, reconciliations, and musical set pieces that culminate in a celebratory performance uniting past and present.
The film features a large ensemble combining original cast members with younger counterparts. Returning performers include Meryl Streep (Donna, archival footage), Amanda Seyfried (Sophie), Pierce Brosnan (Sam), Colin Firth (Harry), Stellan Skarsgård (Bill), Christine Baranski (Tanya), Julie Walters (Rosie), and Dominic Cooper (Sky). New cast members portraying younger versions include Lily James (young Donna), Jessica Keenan Wynn (young Tanya), and Alexa Davies (young Rosie), alongside supporting appearances by Andy Garcia (Fernando Cienfuegos) and Cher in a cameo as Ruby Sheridan. The ensemble also features musicians and dancers integrated into sequences that reference the earlier film and the Mamma Mia! (musical) stage production, highlighting continuity with the original creative team including producer Judy Craymer and composer-lyricists Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
Development of the sequel involved negotiations among production companies Littlestar Productions, Playtone, Universal Pictures, and stakeholders from the original stage production. Director Ol Parker wrote the screenplay after Richard Curtis and others were considered, and principal photography occurred on location in Croatia standing in for the fictional Kalokairi, with additional shooting in Pinewood Studios and other European locales. Costume design referenced 1970s fashion icons contemporaneous with the flashback timeline, drawing on aesthetics associated with Twiggy, Yves Saint Laurent, and Diane von Fürstenberg. Choreography and musical staging echoed the original stage directions from the West End and Broadway iterations of the musical, while cinematography by Christopher Ross sought to balance nostalgia with modern film techniques comparable to other jukebox productions such as Chicago (film) and Moulin Rouge!.
The soundtrack centers on songs by ABBA, arranged and produced under the supervision of members associated with the original catalogue, including involvement from Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The film features reinterpretations of classics like "Fernando", "Waterloo", and "Dancing Queen", performed by cast members such as Cher, Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, and Stellan Skarsgård. The soundtrack album was released in coordination with marketing partners including Island Records and Polydor Records, and charted internationally across markets tracked by Billboard, Official Charts Company, and other national charting organizations. Musical direction balanced period authenticity for the 1970s flashbacks with contemporary pop production, drawing comparisons to other film soundtracks like The Greatest Showman.
The film premiered in 2018 with distribution handled by Universal Pictures across markets including the United States, United Kingdom, and territories in Europe and Asia. Opening weekend box office performance was strong in multiplex markets and secondary territories, contributing to a global gross that placed the film among successful summer releases of 2018 alongside titles from studios such as Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros.. Box office tracking and reporting were conducted by outlets including Box Office Mojo and The Numbers, which reported a worldwide gross near $395 million against a production budget estimated at $75 million, making the film a commercial success by standard industry metrics used by Motion Picture Association member companies.
Critical response was mixed, with reviewers commenting on its nostalgic tone, musical numbers, and the performances of the ensemble cast. Outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone offered a range of assessments that praised choreography and certain vocal turns while critiquing narrative coherence and reliance on sentimentality. Aggregate sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic reflected divided opinions, with audience scores generally more favorable than some critical tallies. Commentary also situated the film within broader discussions of legacy sequels and adaptations of stage properties, comparing its approach to continuity with films like Grease 2 and franchise follow-ups such as The Godfather Part II in terms of blending timelines.
The film received nominations and awards across popular and industry-specific ceremonies, including recognition from organizations such as the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA-adjacent guilds, and various national critics' circles. The soundtrack and musical performances garnered nominations from music-focused bodies including the Grammy Awards and regional recording academies, while technical categories such as costume design and production design were noted by institutions like the Art Directors Guild and the Costume Designers Guild. Festival screenings and fan-driven awards at events like San Diego Comic-Con and regional film festivals further acknowledged its cultural impact among musical film audiences.
Category:2018 films