It’s time to whip out your dancing shoes and disco wear because Mamma Mia! 3 is on its way, and one big star is being eyed to join the cast for the latest instalment.
The much-loved musical jukebox movie has amassed a cult following since it was released in 2008, and its 2018 sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again has become equally beloved since its release.
In May 2025, producer Judy Cramer confirmed to Deadline that Grammy-winning pop star Sabrina Carpenter was being sought to star in the third movie.
“She’d be a goddess or some relation who would look very much like Meryl Streep,” Judy told the publication when asked about who Sabrina would play in Mamma Mia! 3.
Although she did not say anything else about the former Disney star’s involvement, Sabrina is friends with Mamma Mia star Amanda Seyfried. She also performed ABBA several times during her Short n’ Sweet tour.
And it’s a casting choice Amanda can get behind. “If Sabrina Carpenter wants to play my daughter, I’ll make it happen. It’s fine. She’s…I’m a big fan,” the actress previously told The Hollywood Reporter.
Scroll to find out the latest we know about Mamma Mia! 3.
When is Mamma Mia! 3 happening?
With much talk already about the third instalment, Mean Girls star Amanda Seyfried has previously told Entertainment Tonight that “it’s happening”.
“It’s going to happen in Greece, hopefully before 2038,” she joked.
Filming and production schedules have not been confirmed, but the 39-year-old said she would ideally film it in summer 2026, because of her schedule. “Everybody has to put their lives on hold,” she explained.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, she said the first Wicked film was stalled because of Mamma Mia 2’s release.
“It’s an either/or situation with musicals. And I have this theory that Universal just knows we’re going to do it, so they’re not in any rush. And it’s just going to cost double,” she said.
What will Mamma Mia! 3 be about?
Judy was tight-lipped about the plot but did talk to Deadline about her aspirations for the third film.
“It’s not about sequels or redoing stuff. It’s about people engaging with characters, whether it’s becoming a habit or streaming or favourite films,” she said.
“It’s like listening to music over and over again. Like reading a book. You might read it twice. People read Dickens many times.”
“No, IP continues on, and the movie is important for me creatively more than anything. But also because I think the world needs another fun experience. Cinema is having a tough time. [It] wouldn’t be a big, expensive Marvel movie, but people would go,” she added.
Who’s starring in Mamma Mia! 3?
Judy did confirm that Meryl Streep’s character Donna will appear in the film, despite her character being killed off in the 2018 sequel.
“Yeah, she said our after-shooting dinners were legendary,” she revealed.
Despite her character’s end, the actress has said she’d be keen to reprise her role.
“I’m up for anything…I told [our producer] Judy if she could figure out a way to reincarnate Donna, I’m into that,” she said in 2023 to Vogue. “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.”
“We may have to call it Grand-Mamma Mia! by the time we make it!” she then joked.
That same year, an extremely surprising source shed new light on the highly anticipated film.
British comedian Alan Carr made an appearance on Capital Breakfast’s breakfast program to discuss his new reality competition show Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, which was created to discover the “next Sophie” for the official Mamma Mia! musical on London’s West End.
When quizzed about the program by presenters Chris Stark and Sian Welby, Alan made the surprise admission that planning for the third film was truly underway at the time – and that he would have a starring role!
“Judy Cramer, the producer has said that I’m going to be in Mamma Mia! 3, yes, and she said this and we did a press conference and I said ‘say it say it’ cause she’d had a few wines when she said it so I wanted her to say it in front of all the press.”
“I’m going to Hollywood baby!” he added with excitement.
Despite her enthusiasm, Amanda, who plays Sophie in both films, was not always on board with a third movie. In 2018, she said the idea of a third film had the potential to be rather “ridiculous.”
“I feel there is enough ABBA music for sure,” she told Entertainment Weekly, “but I’m going to say the same thing I said 10 years ago – I don’t f***ing think so. It seems like it would be ridiculous. But now anything can happen!”
“The only thing is, I would be worried the studio would only make it to make money, and with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, I know that’s not the case,” she added.
This isn’t the first time Amanda has spoken out in support of another movie, revealing she’d rather have a third film rather than a third child during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in April 2021.
“Definitely third Mamma Mia!, definitely no third child,” she joked.
“If it were up to me, yes, of course, there would be eight Mamma Mias‘. Do you know how much fun that is?”
Then, in May 2022, she changed her tune and said she didn’t even care about the plot and just wanted to get the gang back together.
“The plot doesn’t even matter at this point. ABBA has got new songs, throw them in there, and get the cast back together again.”
“Meryl [Streep] absolutely would come back for the entirety of it,” she added. “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.”
Christine Baranski, who plays Tanya, said if a third film were to be made, “they’d better not wait 10 years” – referencing the decade-long gap between the first and second movie.
“I hope if they are deciding to do it, it better be soon because a lot of us are not getting any younger,” Christine also shared with 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.”
Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed Sam in the films, agreed: “Maybe next year we should do it,” he joked to E! News in May 2023, “There’s such love and joy to it. There’s a story to be told, I’m sure.”
Where can you watch Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia 2?
Good news, you can watch both films on two different streaming platforms! Stream Mamma Mia 1 and 2 on BINGE and on Prime Video from $6.58/month, with a 30-day free trial.
