Summary
DespiteMamma Mia’s success, the original cast was altered when Meryl Streep’s Donna was notably absent from its sequel,Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.Mamma Miamay not be one ofMeryl Streep’s best movies, but it is well-loved for its camp homage to the Swedish pop sensation, ABBA. Many cast members, including Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth, reprised their roles in the well-anticipated sequel, however,Streep only returned for a brief cameowhich left Donna’s future closed for good.
Meryl Streep
Donna Sheridan-Carmichael
Five years after the events ofMamma Mia, it is revealed that Donna died. Though it is unclear when she passed away, Donna’s loved ones grieve her loss as they visit Greece to support Sophie as she fulfills her mother’s dream of opening a Grecian inn. Despite Streep’s limited screen time,Donna is still a pivotal part ofMamma Mia 2and her death only deepens the mother-and-daughter relationship between Donna and Sophie (Amanda Seyfried). Streep’s presence is still sorely missed fromMamma Mia 2,but there is a key reason why she decided not to return as a core member of the cast.
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Between Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, there are a ton of plot holes and inconsistencies in both musicals' collective story.
Donna Was Killed Off In Mamma Mia 2 Because Of Meryl Streep’s View On Sequels
Streep Does Not Need Sequels To Succeed
Meryl Streep’s reputation as an Oscar-winning actress with an incredibly successful career makes her highly sought after by many in the film industry. Therefore,Streep has the luxury of being highly selectivewhen choosing the next projects she is involved in. This extends to movie sequels, even if she has already been a part of the original movies. This is why Streep’s Donna was ultimately killed off inMamma Mia 2: she doesn’t do sequels.
AsMamma Mia 2Producer Judy Craymer explained inEntertainment Weekly, “[Streep] was hesitant about doing another [Mamma Mia] film because she doesn’t typically do sequels.” Often, movie sequels do not hold up to the original, and although they may capitalize on the success of the first movie, they may not compare in quality. As an actress with such a carefully crafted career, acting in a sequel may be a risk for Streep. However, the likely reason for her move away from sequels is thatshe simply doesn’t need to do them to thriveas an actress.
Mamma Mia 2’s Prequel Format Allowed Lily James To Join The Sequel
Donna Was Given A New Life Through Lily James
Meryl Streep’s absence inMamma Mia 2led to a creative solution that would keep the camp yet sincere tone of the original film that many fans loved.Mamma Mia 2acted as both a prequel and a sequel, with Lily James taking the role as a younger version of Donna. This allowedMamma Mia 2to shift between the present and the vibrant world of 1979 as a newly graduated Donna who explores relationships with Sophie’s potential fathers.
James’ addition also added more emotional undertones to theMamma Miamovies as Sophie and Donna’s relationship became more profound.
The addition of James to the cast, along with the other younger counterparts, was a breath of fresh air inMamma Mia 2.It allowedMamma Mia 2to continue the youthful, free-spirited tone that was so well crafted in the first movie and also meant that Donna could still be a central part of the story in Streep’s absence.James’ addition also added more emotional undertonesto theMamma Miamovies as Sophie and Donna’s relationship became more profound, knowing that Sophie would ultimately lose her mother before the birth of her own child.
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Tons of questions remain unanswered from the first two Mamma Mia! movies, but if Mamma Mia! 3 ever happens, these mysteries could finally be solved.
Would Meryl Streep Return For Mamma Mia 3?
Streep’s Return Is More Likely Than Expected
Though not much is known about a potential newMamma Miamovie, Streep seems like a likely addition to the cast ofMamma Mia 3 asshe has expressed interest in reprising her role. This comes as a surprise given Streep’s previous stance on starring in sequels and her relatively brief role inMamma Mia 2. However, anoptimistic update onMamma Mia 3suggests thatStreep seems very ready and willing to return to the role. Read Streep’s statement aboutMamma Mia 3updates below:
[A meeting is] imminent. I don’t know how they’re going to do it. They have an idea. I haven’t heard it yet but it’s in [my diary] and I’m going to hear about it pretty soon. Of course I want to do it. I think folks love it.
Although Streep’s return as Donna would be a great addition toMamma Mia 3, the logistics of how she would be involved are still very much up in the air. However, the solution toMeryl Streep’sMamma Mia 3problemmay come fromMamma Mia 2and see the potential future movie use flashbacks to fill in parts of Donna’s backstory that have yet to be explored.Mamma Mia 3may not be able to revive Donna for good, but this would bea great solution to help bring Streep’s Donna back to lifeonce again.
