Mamma Mia! seemingly came out of nowhere and turned into a massive hit when it debuted back in 2008. Now many of us are gearing up to return to that fun universe with next summer's Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! The film will bring almost all of the critical ingredients of the original back for a brand new story, but now it looks like the cast has grown by one. Specifically, it now seems that Cher has officially joined the ensemble of the highly-anticipated sequel.
A new report from Variety confirms that Cher has signed on for an unknown role in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! Little has been said about who she will portray in the film, or how she will factor into the overall story of the sequel, but something tells us that she will put her voice to good use in at least one song and dance number. After all, that's kind of why you would want to hire Cher for a musical in the first place. Cher has amassed a commendable acting resume over the years (with roles in projects like Moonstruck and The Witches of Eastwick in addition to almost playing The Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact), but the Mamma Mia! sequel is her first major film role since 2010's Burlesque.
Cher joins an ever-expanding ensemble that includes original returning cast members Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan (who remains unashamed of his singing chops), Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, Amanda Seyfried, and several others. Additionally, the film has also enlisted a new cast of actors including Lily James, Jeremy Irvine, Hugh Skinner, and Alexa Davies to portray younger versions of the film's older characters.
This announcement comes after a social media tease offered up by Cher herself over the weekend. In fact, the icon posted some delightfully ABBA-inspired boots that we hope she will wear during her time on-screen in the upcoming sequel.
Specific plot details about Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! remain somewhat under wraps, but we do know that the film will tell two parallel stories across two different timelines. By lining up the younger actors with their older counterparts, the film will alternate between the past and present to show us how these relationships have developed and evolved over the years. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see where Cher fits into the equation.
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! will sing and dance its way into theaters next summer on July 20, 2018. For more information on all of the films set to debut over the course of the next year, make sure to take a look at CinemaBlend's 2017 movie premiere guide, as well as our 2018 movie premiere guide, and fill out your moviegoing calendars accordingly!
