Meryl Streep. Photo: file
Deadline reports that a third installment in the beloved Mamma Mia! franchise is officially in development, according to comments from Donna Langley at the BAFTA Film Awards.
Speaking on the red carpet, Langley confirmed that Mamma Mia 3 is moving forward, though she did not reveal a release timeline. She noted that discussions are currently underway with producer Judy Craymer, who has been instrumental in bringing the ABBA-inspired musical story to the screen.
Langley also addressed speculation about the possible return of Meryl Streep, whose character played a central role in the original film. While no casting decisions have been finalized, Langley suggested that the team would be open to including Streep if she is interested, saying they would “find a way” to bring her back.
The original Mamma Mia! film, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson, premiered in 2008 and followed a bride-to-be who secretly invites three men from her mother’s past to her wedding in hopes of discovering her father’s identity. Its 2018 sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, served as both a prequel and sequel, exploring the younger years of Donna while continuing the present-day storyline.
Earlier in 2026, franchise star Amanda Seyfried indicated that a third film could shift focus toward her character Sophie’s life as a mother, hinting at a possible new direction for the story.
Further details about the project, including casting and production timelines, have yet to be announced.
Streep began her professional stage career in 1975 in Trelawny of the Wells and earned a Tony Award nomination the following year for 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. She transitioned to film in Julia (1977), followed by her first Academy Award nomination for The Deer Hunter (1978). For Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), she won her first Oscar after advocating to rewrite her character’s courtroom testimony, shifting the role from a secondary antagonist to a portrayal focused on a woman’s autonomy. She became a leading actress of the 1980s with performances in The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Sophie’s Choice (1982), and Out of Africa (1985), for which she received the Best Actress award at Cannes.
After expanding into various genres in the 1990s, Streep achieved a new level of commercial stardom in the 2000s. She transitioned from her established dramatic niche to lead high-grossing mainstream successes, portraying a formidable antagonist in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and a singing lead in the musical Mamma Mia! (2008).
