Mamma Mia 2: INCREDIBLE news for musical sequel despite Meryl Streep Donna heartbreak

Back when trailers were first debuted for the film, rumours began spreading that Donna had been killed off at some point between the events of the 2008 original and its 2018 successor.

And when those rumours were confirmed to be accurate, such a bold decision with such a popular character could have cost the film’s box office takings quite dearly.

Instead, the opposite has happened.

Screen Daily has reported that over the Bank Holiday weekend, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again raised its box office total to within spitting distance of the £60 million mark – a phenomenal feat.

For context, that’s less than £10 million off the £68.6 million earned by the first movie – a number most analysts were sure the sequel wouldn’t get anywhere near.

Although it still seems something of a tall order to expect the film to surpass the original, especially now the school summer holidays are winding down, it’s safe to say it has done better than most forecasters’ expectations.

Given that it is still at No2 in the charts after almost two months on release, it has also seen off a lot of competitors.

While the likes of the extremely prolific Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Ant-Man And The Wasp have made swift exits out of the Top 5, it’s the ABBA sequel that has proven to have far more staying power.

Ant-Man And The Wasp has logged £15.7 million in four weeks in this country, while MI6 has achieved £22.1 million in five (though the good news is that it has now eclipsed Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’s £21.2 million).

Number one on the UK chart this week is Christopher Robin, sitting pretty for a second week in a row with £2.1 million over the weekend and a £7.9 million total to date.

Behind Mamma Mia 2 in second (£1.7 million this weekend, £59.3 million to date) is The Meg in third, down to £1.5 million; and The Equalizer 2, which managed £1.3 million in its second. frame.

Incredibles 2 rounds off the Top 5 on £1.3 million, bringing its seven-week grand total to £51.6 million.

Elsewhere, BlacKkKlansman took £989,134 over the weekend, rising to £1.1 million with previews and £1.6 million with Bank Holiday Monday.

Emma Thompson’s new film The Children Act struggled to £513,000 on its first weekend, while The Spy Who Dumped Me raked in £704,760, plus an additional £351,913 in midweek previews.

Slender-Man grossed just £388,000 amid terrible reviews, and Alpha took £255,000.

Idris Elba’s Yardie is the most high-profile movie hitting cinemas this coming weekend.