With the trend of nostalgia ruling the day, the world of TV and film production has been changed. It seems like just about any beloved property now has the potential to return for a reboot or long awaited sequel. This now includes musicals, as the Broadway show turned movie Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! will soon debut a brand new sequel. The entirety of the starring cast is set to return (plus Cher), but it's unclear exactly how much of Meryl's Donna will be in the movie. She was noticeably missing from the first trailer, leading many to believe that the sequel might kill its protagonist off. Now Amanda Seyfried has opened up about Meryl's role, ensuring fans that she will indeed be a major presence in the Mamma Mia 2. And she's not just going to appear in flashbacks. Seyfried said,
You do see her. She's, Meryl is very much a part of this movie. No, there are absolutely no flashbacks. No, because all the 'flashbacks' are of Lily [James] playing Donna. So it's a prequel and a sequel, and so you see Meryl is very much a part of it.
Well, that should be a relief. Booking Meryl Streep in the role of Donna was a major get for the original Mamma Mia! movie, and it would be truly bizarre to get through the sequel without a major appearance by the film (and musical)'s lead character.
Amanda Seyfried's comments to ET are also noticeably cryptic regarding how much of Donna is actually in the movie. She still hasn't confirmed or denied that Donna might be getting killed off during the course Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, which is smart considering the highly anticipated sequel isn't set to hit theaters until this summer. Everyone involved will no doubt be keeping their cards close to the chest, allowing the film's marketing to trickle out information methodically.
While we seem to have a confirmation of Meryl's role in Mamma Mia's sequel, her absence from the film's first trailer has given many cinephiles and fans pause. The film looks like it's going to put a fair amount of emphasis on the past timeline, where Donna, her friends, and her three suitors will reveal how Sophie came to be in this world. Splittting the story in this way likely helped to ease up everyone's scheduled, including Meryl Streep. It's also possible that the trailer was cut before much of her scenes were filmed. After all, she's got a bevy of projects currently on her plate.
We'll just have to patiently wait and see how it all shakes down. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! will arrive in theaters July 20, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
