Mamma Mia 2 ‘doing BETTER than the first movie’ despite Meryl Streep absence

Although Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is not expected to actually beat the 2008 original’s total gross of over £69 million, it is still doing remarkably well.

In fact, it has so far managed to rake in £39.3 million after three weekends; including £4.12 million this past weekend.

By contrast, after three weekends the first Mamma Mia! movie had made £24.6 million, according to The Guardian, meaning the sequel is – at present – performing 60% better.

Still, it’s worth bearing in mind that the original movie had remarkable legs and ended up being something of a slow-burning phenomenon – a feat the new film is unlikely to replicate.

But it’s still some good news for a movie that has managed to hold its own since release despite strong competition from Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

The ABBA-centric musical has had much better reviews for its second outing, despite the diminished screen-time of Meryl Streep.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Mamma Mia! has a 54% rating, while Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again has an approval rating of 79%.

Streep has been among those praising the film despite her own decreasing involvement.

“I just hope they [fans] get the feeling I got two nights ago [when I saw it], which is elated,” she beamed.

“I want them to come out as happy as I was when I saw it, because I think delivering happiness is something that’s very rare in this world.

“And the fact that this gang of people came together to do it… If we deliver joy, that’s all I ask.”

Back in the cast this time alongside Streep are Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth.

Cher, Lily James, Andy Garcia, Hugh Skinner, Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan, Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies are the new arrivals.

Maria Vacratsis, Celia Imrie, Omid Djalili and Panos Mouzourakis pop up in supporting roles.

Not only has the film been doing big business at the box office, it’s also been lighting up the charts.

The soundtrack album is on course for a third week at Number One on Friday, with the soundtrack to the first film also continuing to hold on to a place in the nation’s Top 5.

ABBA’s Gold is in the Top 10 again for the first time in a decade thanks to the film, and is on course to ascend to No6 on Friday off the back of the movie phenomenon.

So now the natural question: will there somehow be a Mamma Mia 3?

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is out now.