Summary
- Meryl Streep was initially not interested in a
Oh mama!
sequel, but was eventually sold on the producers' idea of a prequel that would tell the story of a younger version of Donna Sheridan. - Streep's character was eliminated in the sequel to allow the story to be told through prequel flashbacks, in which Lily James played a younger version of Donna.
- Despite her character's death, Meryl Streep is willing to return for
Mamma Mia 3
if the film ever gets the green light.
Meryl Streep, a Hollywood bigwig, has the resume to pick and choose her roles, and she has a reputation for taking on new and challenging parts. That's probably why the part of Donna Sheridan in Oh mama! she liked it. Playing a mother with a complicated past who occasionally bursts into song is not something you get every day. However, sequels are more complicated (as in the case of Downton Abbey: A New Era) because Streep is not that fond of it. This preference probably influenced why Meryl Streep didn't fully return to Oh my God! Here we go again!.
The great success of the original Oh mama! begged for a sequel, but Streep and many of the other original cast members were initially uninterested in a Oh my! 2Director Ol Parker explained, saying, “There was always a huge desire for a sequel. The studio couldn't have wanted it more, given how much money the original made. But right away, there was just a struggle. Not every story needs another chapter. So they couldn't find a proper version that really made dramatic sense.”
Updated by Alex Roush on August 11, 2024: Oh my! 3 may not be officially in production yet, but several cast members have expressed interest in returning to the hit musical franchise if given the opportunity. However, after playing Donna Sheridan in the original film, Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep has largely sat out the sequel, leaving audiences to wonder if she would return if a third film were actually made. This list has been updated to include additional information about Streep's current roles, improve the reader experience, and adapt to current CBR formatting guidelines.
Why isn't Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! 2?
The Oscar-winning actor wasn't initially interested in a sequel, but loved the idea of a prequel-sequel
- Oh my God! Here we go again! was released on July 12, 2018.
- The second one Oh mama! The film has a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
- The public gave Oh my God! Here we go again! a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Related
“It Always Stayed With Me”: Wicked Movie Director on What Makes the Musical So Special
The director of the upcoming Wicked adaptation, Jon M. Chu, talks about his childhood experiences and his appreciation for the original musical.
Meryl Streep may not have been interested in playing the lead role Oh my God! Here we go again! cast, but the daughter of the writer Richard Curtis gave him the idea to write a film woven with the threads of a prequel. Having Donna die between the end of the first film and the beginning of the secondthey could tell more of Donna's story through flashbacksCurtis still felt that the film flowed better that way, describing it as “the most meaningful, emotional and impactful way to tell that story.”
Killing off Streep's character also allowed the creators to give her a one-scene, minor role, playing a ghost and singing only a couple of songs. Because of the prequel's flashbacks, the rest of Donna's presence in the film was played by Pam and TommyLily James, who played a younger version of the character. Fortunately, Streep was intrigued by the concept and agreed to do the film, albeit in a minor role.
Meryl Streep was still involved in Mamma Mia! 2
Streep's involvement in the sequel convinced other cast members to return
- Like the original film, Oh my God! Here we go again! contains hit songs from ABBA's discography, including “Mamma Mia”, “Dancing Queen”, “Waterloo”, “Fernando” and many more.
- Oh my God! Here we go again! adds several top actors to its cast, including Lily James and Andy Garcia.
- Unlike the 2008 film, Here we go again It is not based on any original material, but tells an original story.

Related
“I Just Wanted to Have Some Fun”: Meryl Streep Asked to Star in Only Murders in the Building
Meryl Streep joined the third season of Only Murders in the Building at her own request.
Although Meryl Streep was not actively involved in most of the production of Oh my God! Here we go again!her departure from the franchise was certainly not the result of a lack of interest on the actress's part. “I think she felt she liked the idea of leaving this to the younger ones, and she wanted to be involved, but she wouldn't take a role that big,” franchise creator Judy Craymer said in an interview with The Hollywood ReporterCraymer continued, “I think that helped explore the emotional weight of what director Ol Parker wrote, which is that this is a story about life, marriage, loss and love.”
Once Streep was enthusiastic about this exciting new take on the original story, the rest of the original cast returned as well. Streep was the face of Oh mama! when the original film was released in 2008. Developing a sequel that did justice to the first story while also harking back to the original protagonist took the creators a decade, which led to complications.
Meryl Streep was initially hesitant to return for a sequel to Oh mama!since she typically avoids starring in sequel films. It makes sense for an Academy Award-winning actress to feel this way, since Streep probably always wants to keep her filmography fresh for her career. So, the idea of a prequel and a sequel merged together was bornStreep took the plunge and made Oh my God! Here we go again! They can occur even without spending much time in front of the screen.
Will Meryl Streep Return for Mamma Mia 3?
While a third film has not yet been confirmed, Meryl Streep has expressed interest in reprising her role as Donna
- The original Oh mama! The musical debuted on April 6, 1999 at the Prince Edward Theatre in London.
- The original Broadway cast for Oh mama! included Louise Pitre as Donna Sheridan, Judy Kaye as Rosie, and Karen Mason as Tanya.
- Oh mama! ran on Broadway for over a decade, from 2001 to 2013.

Related
Meryl Streep Is Ready to 'Reincarnate' Her Mamma Mia! Character in a Sequel
Actress Meryl Streep is giving Mamma Mia! fans hope for a long-awaited third installment and her return as Donna Sheridan in her recent comments.
Although he did not return for a more substantial role in Here we go again!, Meryl Streep is willing to return for Oh mama!3according to a 2023 interview with Vogue. The Oscar-winning actress expressed her excitement about potentially returning to the franchise despite her character's death. “I told Judy [Craymer] “If she could find a way to reincarnate Donna, I’d be happy,” the actress happily explained, later jokingly suggesting she play Donna’s twin sister in a soap opera-style twist.
Given Streep's statement, it seems safe to assume that audiences will once again see Donna return in some way, shape or form if a third Oh mama! film ever happen. Donna could return again in flashbacks, this time as a new mother to Sophie. Her experiences as a mother to a newborn or toddler could mirror Sophie’s role as a first-time mother to her son, whom she gave birth to at the end of the second film.
What is Meryl Streep working on now?
Streep is expected to appear in several future projects
- Meryl Streep's first appearance in a feature film was in Juliareleased in 1977 and starring Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave.
- Streep's presence is confirmed in The Devil Wears Prada sequel, the first sequel film in which he agreed to appear.
- Streep's next on-screen appearance will be in season 4 of Only murders in the buildingdue out August 27, 2024.

Related
Only Murders in the Building has its own board game
Funko Games presents an all-new board game based on the critically acclaimed Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.
Meryl Streep's most recent on-screen role was in Extrapolations (2023), a drama TV series that depicts a dystopian world suffering from the severe impacts of global warming. The series shows viewers what could happen to Earth if the climate crisis worsens, and Streep appears as Eve in episode 2, “2046: Whale Fall”. In the episode, she stresses the importance of taking immediate action to combat climate change rather than being angry about past failures. Streep also appears in Only murders in the buildingplaying Loretta Durkin in season three (releasing August 2023) and season four (releasing August 2024).
Meryl Streep's most recent film, Don't Look Up, was released on December 24, 2021, and follows two astronomers who try to tell the world about an incoming meteorite that will destroy humanity as we know it. Streep plays President Janie Orlean, a clear caricature of Donald Trump, who despises the astronomers' discoveries. Streep will also reprise her role as Miranda Priestly in the upcoming The Devil Wears Prada sequel to the film, which surprised many fans due to Streep's well-known disinterest in sequels.
For a franchise with a first-class cast like Oh mama!'s, it can be difficult to get everyone to come back for another film. However, producer Judy Craymer seems determined to do just that, revealing in 2023 that a script is already in the works. Streep's assertion that she would return no doubt adds to the excitement for a third installment of the jukebox musical franchise, as viewers prepare to visit the beautiful shores of Kalokairi once again.