Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, and Dame Julie Walters are just three names making up the cast of this epic musical.
And now you can see them in action for yourself, as what viewers have declared one of the ‘greatest musicals’ is available to stream for free.
Serving as both a prequel and a sequel to 2008’s romance flick Mamma Mia!, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again has landed on ITVX.
Set on an idyllic Greek island and with Abba tunes to soundtrack the characters’ lives, Mamma Mia! 2 kicks off several years after the first smash hit film ended.
It takes viewers on an emotional yet fun-filled journey through Donna’s youth in the late 70s (complete with all the striking costumes you’d expect) as she graduates from Oxford University with best friends Rosie and Tanya.
Amid her travels around Europe, viewers finally get the backstory to her scandalous encounters with three dashing men—Harry, Bill, and Sam—all of whom became possible fathers for her now-adult daughter, Sophie, and led her to Kalokairi.
Meanwhile, in the present, Sophie (Seyfried) is renovating a hotel in her mother’s honour.
She reunites with the friends and lovers of her mum’s colourful past, hoping to launch her business venture without a hitch—despite partner Sky working away and logistical challenges threatening to see Hotel Bella Donna crash to the ground before doors have even opened.
The sequel sees the welcome return of the original’s stellar ensemble cast, including Colin Firth as Harry Bright, Stellan Skarsgård as Bill Anderson, and Pierce Brosnan as Sam Carmichael. Hugh Skinner, Josh Dylan, and Jeremy Irvine play their younger counterparts, respectively.
But the A-list names do not cease there, as Christine Baranski returns as Tanya Chesham-Leigh, Dame Julie reprises the role of ulfiltered queen Rosie Mulligan, and music legend Cher plays Donna’s grandmother, Ruby Sheridan, in fashionable style. Dominic Cooper is also back as Sky.
As for newbies, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again introduces Lily James as young Donna, whose embodiment of the beloved character—not to mention her angelic vocals—continues to captivate viewers several years later.
And what would Mamma Mia! be without songs, right?
Where the first film gave us iconic moments with Does Your Mother Know? Money, Money, Money, Super Trouper, and SOS, to name a few, the sequel includes covers of Waterloo, One of Us, Angel Eyes, Fernando, and more.
The second instalment in the franchise proved a roaring success upon release, grossing $402million (£304m) worldwide against a $75m (£57m) budget and earning generally positive reviews.
Writing on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, critics continue to speak highly of the film’s feel-good musical performances but also of how the plot pulls on the heartstrings in unexpected ways.
Anne Cohen of Refinery29 writes: ‘The thing about Mamma Mia 2 is that it feels less like a movie, and more like a live musical at which you are an active participant.’
‘I simply can’t imagine how Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again could be any better than it is. I loved it to pieces and I can’t wait to go again!’, says Mark Kermode of The Observer.
Making a further bold claim, the Chicago Reader’s Andrea Gronvall adds: ‘This exuberant sequel easily tops the 2008 musical hit.
‘When all is said and done, this sequel is brighter, funnier and more touching than anyone could have hoped’, adds Manuela Lazic of Little White Lies.
As for audience feedback, Average P describes the Ol Parker-directed project as ‘infectious’, while Idan Charles L declares it’s ‘just as good as the first one’.
‘It’s one of my favorite movies. I watch every month, it’s my comfort movie’, writes Julia W.
Is Mamma Mia! 2 better than the first film?
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Yes
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No
‘Truly one of the greatest musical movies of modern time!’, exclaims CSA.
And fans needn’t despair that a second offering marks the end of the Mamma Mia! universe, oh no, as a third helping is being cooked up.
In 2020, a third film was confirmed, but not much else was said for a while.
It wasn’t until early this year that the story gained momentum again, as lead star Seyfried shared her plans to bring Mamma Mia! 3 to fruition.
Issuing a major update, she also promised to do her utmost to bring back one big name.
Speaking of her hopes to get Cher, 79, back for another outing as glam gran Ruby, Seyfried told E! News: ‘Cher is definitely going to be in it. I mean, I wouldn’t want to do it without her at this point.’
Despite all the excitement, though, fans should be aware that Mamma Mia! 3 barely even exists on paper yet.
‘There’s got to be a contest where somebody writes Mama Mia! 3,’ the Mean Girls actress joked.
Well, one thing’s for certain: we’re all ready to go again when the mood strikes.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is now streaming on ITVX.
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