Amanda Seyfried is more than ready to sing and dance her way back to the Greek isles. The Mamma Mia! star says a third movie is closer than ever and already has a dream lineup in mind — even if the studio hasn’t made it official yet.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight in November 2024, Seyfried said she’s confident the feel-good ABBA franchise will continue. “Maybe I’m just naive, but I’m pretty sure ‘Mamma Mia 3’ is a done deal,” she said, adding that she’d love to revisit Sophie as a mom this time around.
“I love portraying a mom, so I would love to see Sophie with her kids,” Seyfried continued. She also floated some buzzy casting ideas: “Maybe she has a cousin she hasn’t seen in a while, and that could be Sabrina Carpenter. And then Sydney Sweeney could show up. There’s a bunch of girls that really want to be a part of it, and I’m all for it.”
Amanda Seyfried’s Dream Cast — And Sophie’s Next Chapter
Seyfried’s comments come as momentum around a third film grows. While Universal has yet to announce Mamma Mia 3, franchise creator and producer Judy Craymer has confirmed that a script exists. With that as a foundation, Seyfried says the returning ensemble is eager to reunite — and to keep the series’ paternity mystery playful and intact.
“I just know the three dads are going to come back, and we still won’t know who the dad is because it doesn’t matter,” she said, referring to the beloved trio played by Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård in the first two movies. “Meryl [Streep] is a ghost, obviously, so she’ll be around. And Julie [Walters] and Christine [Baranski] will be back singing and looking hot and we’re all going to be somewhere tropical. And ABBA will be playing.”
Those touchstones — found family, postcard-ready locations, and wall-to-wall ABBA hits — have defined the series since 2008’s Mamma Mia! became a global phenomenon and 2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again delivered another crowd-pleasing chapter. Seyfried’s mention of Streep tracks with the sequel, which revealed Donna’s death and included the Oscar winner in poignant flashbacks; her “ghost” comment suggests future appearances that honor the character while keeping the logistics flexible.
As for potential newcomers, Seyfried’s shout-outs to Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney are eye-catching, but they’re just wish-list casting for now. Neither performer is attached to the project, and no new characters have been officially announced. Still, the idea hints at a multi-generational story that could fold fresh voices into the franchise’s exuberant ensemble.
What A Reunion Could Look Like
If the core group returns, fans could expect more musical fireworks from the original cast, including Brosnan, Firth, and Skarsgård as Sam, Harry, and Bill; Baranski and Walters as glamorous Dynamos Tanya and Rosie; and Seyfried as Sophie, now embracing motherhood. The tropical setting remains part of the fantasy, with Seyfried teasing that the action would once again unfold under the sun with ABBA’s catalog driving the spectacle.
Both films have blended romance, comedy, and jukebox musical energy with a sense of community that has only deepened as the actors’ on- and off-screen bonds have grown. That dynamic is exactly what Craymer believes keeps audiences coming back.
“We know what we want to do with the movie, and it will happen,” Craymer told Deadline earlier this year. “We brought together this amazing group of movie stars that were all connected through it and huge friendships evolved.” For her, the project is about more than nostalgia: “It’s not about sequels or redoing stuff. It’s about people engaging with characters… The movie is important for me creatively more than anything. But also because I think the world needs another fun experience.”
Where Development Stands — And Why Timing Has Been Tricky
Seyfried also addressed the franchise’s timeline during a September conversation with Deadline at the Toronto International Film Festival. Asked if a third installment is happening, she said, “It is, yes,” before tempering expectations with a light “I think.” The main obstacle, she explained, has been scheduling a cast spread across high-profile projects and coordinating studio priorities.
“Scheduling has always been the biggest hurdle,” Seyfried said, recalling that 2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again effectively slotted in when another major Universal title couldn’t move forward on the same timeline. “They could only do one big movie at that time, so we ended up slotting into that. So, it’s about silly things like that.”
For now, Universal has not officially greenlit Mamma Mia 3 or set a production timeline. But with Craymer confirming a script exists, Seyfried publicly championing a return, and the original ensemble game to reunite, the ingredients are there. The first two films combined for over $1 billion worldwide, proving the enduring appeal of ABBA’s music and the series’ warm, escapist tone.
Whether the next chapter follows Sophie raising a family, introduces new relatives into the mix, or finds a fresh way to thread Donna’s legacy through the story, the creative team appears aligned on one goal: deliver another joyous big-screen celebration. Until official news arrives, fans can dust off their platforms, revisit the first two films, and keep their fingers crossed that Sophie and company will soon take another chance on love, laughter, and ABBA.
