| Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ol Parker |
| Screenplay by | Ol Parker |
| Story by |
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| Based on | Mamma Mia! by Catherine Johnson |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robert Yeoman |
| Edited by | Peter Lambert |
| Music by | |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 114 minutes[3] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $75 million[4] |
| Box office | $402.3 million[4] |
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a 2018jukebox musicalromantic comedy film written and directed byOl Parker, from a story by Parker,Catherine Johnson, andRichard Curtis. It is the sequel and prequel to the 2008 filmMamma Mia!, which in turn is based on the 1999eponymous musical using the music ofABBA. The film features anensemble cast, includingChristine Baranski,Pierce Brosnan,Dominic Cooper,Colin Firth,Andy García,Lily James,Amanda Seyfried,Stellan Skarsgård,Julie Walters,Cher,Meryl Streep,Alexa Davies,Jessica Keenan Wynn,Josh Dylan,Jeremy Irvine, andHugh Skinner. Both a prequel and a sequel, the plot is set after the events of the previous film, and is intersected with flashbacks to Donna's youth in 1979, with some scenes from the two time periods mirroring each other.
Due to the financial success of the first film,Universal Pictures had long been interested in a sequel. The film was officially announced in May 2017, with Parker hired to write and direct. In June 2017, many of the original cast confirmed their involvement, with James being cast in the role of Young Donna that July. Filming took place from August to December 2017 inCroatia (most prominentlyVis),Bordeaux, Stockholm,Oxford,Hampton and atShepperton Studios. A British and American joint venture, the film was co-produced byPlaytone, Littlestar Productions, Perfect World Pictures, andLegendary Entertainment.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was premiered at theHammersmith Apollo in London on 16 July 2018, and was released in the United Kingdom and the United States on 20 July 2018, ten years to the week after its predecessor's release, in both standard andIMAX formats.[5] The film was a box office success, grossing $402 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews, as an improvement over its predecessor with critics praising the performances and musical numbers.[6][7] The film is dedicated to the memory of production designerAlan MacDonald.
In a flashback to 1979, a young Donna Sheridan graduates fromOxford'sNew College with her best friends, Rosie and Tanya ("When I Kissed the Teacher"), and dreams of theGreek island Kalokairi. Her mother, Ruby, is a famous singer, but they have a strained relationship as Ruby is always away on tour so she does not attend Donna's graduation. Fed up with her mother's constant absence and determined to spend her life making memories, Donna travels to Kalokairi to find her destiny.
In the present,[a] Donna's daughter, Sophie, is in Kalokairi preparing the grand reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna in honour of her recently deceased mother. Harry and Bill can't attend due to overseas obligations and Sophie also feels estranged from her husband, Sky, who has been offered a job in New York City ("One of Us").
In Paris, Donna meets the sweet, awkward Harry Bright, who instantly falls in love with her ("Waterloo"). They spend the night together, but Donna leaves early for Greece. Missing her boat to Kalokairi, Bill Anderson gives her a lift in hissailboat, where they dance and flirt ("Why Did It Have to Be Me?"). On the way, they help a stranded fisherman named Alexio to go back to shore in time to save the love of his life from marrying someone else. Unbeknownst to Donna, Harry has followed her to Greece, however he arrives too late and she sails off with Bill.
In the present, Rosie and Tanya arrive and Sophie shows them the renovated hotel ("I Have a Dream"). This mirrors the past, when Donna explores the abandoned farmhouse that would eventually become the hotel. A heavy storm then breaks out and Donna discovers a trapped horse, and soothes it with the assistance of Sam Carmichael. In the present, a heavy storm destroys both the decorations and cuts off ferries to Kalokairi, to Sophie's dismay.
Sam, who lives in a cabin on the island, reassures Sophie that she can never disappoint her mother, as he once did. Before Sophie was born, Donna and Sam were enjoying a whirlwind romance ("The Name of the Game") which ended badly when she discovered he was engaged. Heartbroken, Donna breaks up with Sam and tearfully watches him leave the island ("Knowing Me, Knowing You"), while the present Sam reassures Sophie how important she was to her.
Following Sam's departure, Donna is visited by Tanya and Rosie, who cheer her up by performing as Donna and the Dynamos ("Mamma Mia"). Bill returns to the island, and she joins him on his boat, much to the chagrin of Rosie, who fell for Bill. While they are gone, Sam returns, having ended his engagement for Donna, but is saddened to hear she is with another.
Donna discovers she is pregnant but has no idea which one of her three recent lovers is the father. Bill's great-aunt Sofia overhears Donna's wish to stay on the island and reveals she owns the abandoned farmhouse where she has been staying. Donna happily accepts her offer to stay there, where she later gives birth to Sophie.
In the present, Sophie tells Rosie and Tanya about her problems with Sky, and Rosie explains how she and Bill broke up ("Angel Eyes"). Meanwhile, Bill, Harry, and Sky leave their ventures abroad to support Sophie but are told there are no boats to Kalokairi. However, Alexio recognises Bill so he offers the trio safe boat passage to the island as gratitude for Bill saving his relationship. Bill convinces everyone to join them for the Kalokairi party. When the guests arrive ("Dancing Queen"), Bill and Rosie soon reunite over their mutual grief over Donna's death, and Sophie tells Sky she is pregnant and never feeling closer to her mother.
The celebration is suddenly disrupted when Ruby arrives, despite not being invited. Ruby explains that Sky tracked her down, and she wants to build a relationship with her granddaughter. Sophie then performs with the Dynamos in honour of Donna ("I've Been Waiting for You"). Ruby is proud, and expresses slight but sincere grief over her daughter's death. Afterwards, the hotel manager, Señor Fernando Cienfuegos, reveals that he is Ruby's long-lost lover from 1959, so they are joyously reunited ("Fernando").
Nine months later, Sophie gives birth to her baby boy, Donny. At thechristening, Donna's ghost proudly watches, and they have a final moment before Donna fully passes on ("My Love, My Life"). The end credits show all the characters, including Donna and the younger cast, at a party at Hotel Bella Donna ("Super Trouper").
A soundtrack album was released on 13 July 2018, byCapitol andPolydor Records in the United States and internationally, respectively.[8][9] The album was produced byBenny Andersson, who also served as the album'sexecutive producer alongsideBjörn Ulvaeus andJudy Craymer. Each song is featured within the film, with the exception of "I Wonder (Departure)" and "The Day Before You Came".
Additionally, short and instrumental versions of other ABBA songs were included in the film, but omitted from the soundtrack. In chronological order:
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was announced on 19 May 2017, with a release date of 20 July 2018.[10] It was written and directed byOl Parker.[11] On 27 September 2017, Benny Andersson confirmed 3 ABBA songs that would be featured in the film: "When I Kissed the Teacher", "I Wonder (Departure)", and "Angeleyes".[12] "I Wonder (Departure)" was cut from the film, but is included on the soundtrack album.[citation needed]
On 1 June 2017, it was announced that Seyfried would return as Sophie.[13] Later that month,Dominic Cooper confirmed that he would return for the sequel, along with Streep, Firth and Brosnan as Sky, Donna, Harry, and Sam, respectively.[14] In July 2017, Baranski was also confirmed to return as Tanya.[15] On 12 July 2017,Lily James was cast to play the role of young Donna.[16] On 3 August 2017,Jeremy Irvine andAlexa Davies were also cast in the film, with Irvine playing Brosnan's character Sam in a past era, andHugh Skinner to play Young Harry, Davies as a young Rosie, played byJulie Walters.[17] On 16 August 2017, it was announced thatJessica Keenan Wynn had been cast as a young Tanya, who is played by Baranski.[18]Julie Walters andStellan Skarsgård also reprised their roles as Rosie and Bill, respectively.[19] On 16 October 2017, it was announced that singer and actressCher had joined the cast, in her first on-screen film role since 2010. The part was written specifically for Cher, and she got to chooseAndy García as her romantic partner.[20]
Principal photography on the film began on 12 August 2017, inCroatia, including theisland ofVis.[21][22][23][24] In October 2017, the cast gathered atShepperton Studios in Surrey, England, to film song and dance numbers withCher.[25] Filming wrapped on 2 December 2017.[26]
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was released on 20 July 2018, byUniversal Pictures, in the United Kingdom, United States and other selected countries in both standard andIMAX formats.[27][5] The film premiered on 16 July 2018, at theHammersmith Apollo in London.[28]
The first trailer for the film was released on 21 December 2017, in front ofPitch Perfect 3, another Universal Pictures film. Cher performed "Fernando" at the Las Vegas CinemaCon on 25 April 2018, after footage of the film was shown.[29]Universal sponsored YouTube stars theMerrell Twins to perform a cover version of the song "Mamma Mia" to promote the film.[30]
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was released via digital copy on 9 October 2018, and released on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD Combo Pack on 23 October 2018.[31] The film debuted at the top of theNPD VideoScan First Alert chart for the week ending on 27 October 2018.[32] It retained the top spot on the chart for the week ending on 3 November 2018.[33]
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again grossed $120.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $281.6 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $402.3 million, against a production budget of $75 million.[4]
In June 2018, three weeks prior to its release, official industry tracking had the film debuting to $27–33 million,[34] which increased to as much as $36 million by the week of its release.[35] It made $14.3 million on its first day, including $3.4 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $35 million, finishing second, behind fellow newcomerThe Equalizer 2 ($36 million), and besting the opening of the first film ($27.8 million) by over 24%.[30][36] It fell 57% to $15.1 million in its second weekend, finishing second behind newcomerMission: Impossible – Fallout.[37][38] In its third weekend the film grossed $9 million, dropping to fourth place, and $5.8 million in its fourth weekend, finishing seventh.[39][40]
In the United Kingdom, the film grossed $12.7 million in its opening weekend, topping the box office and achieving the fourth biggest opening for a film in 2018.[41] In its second weekend of international release, the film made $26.6 million (for a running total of $98.6 million). Its largest new markets were France ($1.7 million), Poland ($1.3 million), Switzerland ($223,000) and Croatia ($151,000), while its best holdovers were Australia ($9.5 million), the UK ($8.6 million) and Germany ($8.2 million).[42] In the United Kingdom, the film was the second highest-grossing film of 2018, followingAvengers: Infinity War.[43][44]
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Onreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 79% based on 276 reviews, with an average of 6.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again doubles down on just about everything fans loved about the original—and my my, how can fans resist it?"[46] OnMetacritic the film has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100 based on 46 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[47] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, the same score as its predecessor, whilePostTrak reported filmgoers gave it an 83% overall positive score.[30]
Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian termed the sequel as "weirdly irresistible" and gave it three out of five stars. He described his reaction to the first film as "a combination of hives and bubonic plague", but concedes that this time, the relentlessness and greater self-aware comedy made him smile. He concludes: "More enjoyable than I thought. But please. Enough now."[48]Mark Kermode ofThe Observer gave the film five stars and commented, "This slick sequel delivers sharp one-liners, joyously contrived plot twists and an emotional punch that left our critic reeling."[49]
Peter Travers ofRolling Stone awarded the film two and a half stars out of five, noting the absence of Streep for the majority of the film hindered his enjoyment, and saying, "her absence is deeply felt since the three-timeOscar winner sang and danced her heart out as Donna Sheridan".[50] Lindsay Bahr ofAssociated Press awarded the film three out of four stars, calling it "wholly ridiculous", but complimenting its self-awareness. She also praised James' performance and singing talent.[51]Richard Roeper of theChicago Sun-Times gave the sequel a mixed review, awarding it two stars out of four, criticizing the reprises of "Dancing Queen" and "Super Trouper" as uninspired, and feeling that some of the musical numbers dragged the pacing. He considered the younger counterparts to the main characters "energetic" and "likeable".[52] Stephanie Zacharek ofTime gave the film a mixed review, writing "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is atrocious. And wonderful. It's all the reasons you should never go to the movies. And all the reasons you should race to get a ticket."[53]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | February 19, 2019 | Excellence in Contemporary Film | Michele Clapton | Nominated | |
| European Film Awards | 2019 | Best European Film | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Nominated | |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Soundtrack Album | "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again: the Soundtrack" | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Music Supervision – Film | Becky Bentham | Nominated | |||
| People's Choice Awards | November 11, 2018 | The Comedy Movie of 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Nominated | [54] |
| Female Movie Star | Lily James | Nominated | |||
| Comedy Movie Star | Amanda Seyfried | Nominated | |||
| Online Film & Television Association | 2019 | Best Adapted Song | "Fernando", performed byCher | Nominated | [55] |
In June 2020,Judy Craymer announced that a third film was in development, with the producer confirming that some of the new ABBA songs written for the band's reunion could feature in the soundtrack, although stating that theCOVID-19 pandemic had caused delays with development of the project.[56] After months of postponement, ABBA released their new albumVoyage in November 2021.
In an interview withBBC Two'sNewsnight in May 2023, Andersson expressed his skepticism about the prospect of a sequel, describing it as "wishful thinking" and saying he would not like to see a sequel made unless there were substantial changes.[57] In October 2023, Craymer reaffirmed a third film.[58]
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