The Mamma Mia 2 younger cast look scarily look the original stars

Here we go again...

mamma mia 2
(Image credit: REX)

Here we go again...

Ever since it was announced that Mamma Mia 2 was officially a thing, we have been counting down the days till its release, with our dreams finally being answered this week.

With Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again coming to our screens on Friday, there's not long to wait - finally! It's only been months of teasers, from the announcement of new stars (ahem Cher) to the confirmed featured songs - are there any left in ABBA's catalogue?

And of course the official trailer:

Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth and Julie Walters singing and dancing on a Greek island 10 years after they did in the original flick - in short we’re in for a treat.

But is the gang fully back? Where’s Meryl? And when is the film actually coming out?

Here’s everything you need to know...

Mamma Mia 2

Mamma Mia. Credit: Rex

Who’s starring in Mamma Mia 2?

Mamma Mia 2 is set to see the whole gang from the original film return, although it looks like some of the characters might be limited to flashbacks.

Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard are returning to play Sophie’s fathers, and Julie Walters and Christine Baranski are also confirmed stars.

But while Amanda Seyfried is starring alongside Dominic Cooper, little has been said about her onscreen mum, previous main character, Meryl Streep (or Donna as she’s known in MM circles).

Mamma Mia 2

Mamma Mia. Credit: Rex

While she's listed in the film's cast, the trailer would suggest that her character might be limited to flashbacks, with speculation that her character could be dead in the film.

New faces will be coming from Lily James playing a young Donna and Jeremy Irvine is joining the cast as a young Sam Carmichael. Even Celia Imrie and Omid Djalili are said to feature.

The biggest buzz however has come from Meryl’s new onscreen mother, with music icon Cher joining the cast in the role - hopefully performing Believe at some point.

But what do the young stars look like compared to the OG cast members?

Well, pretty similar actually.

Mamma Mia 2

Mamma Mia. Credit: Rex

Is Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia 2?

Meryl Streep has been one of the biggest talking points of Mamma Mia 2, with the trailer seeming to suggest that her character, Donna, is dead. This has yet to be confirmed but the fact that she is talked about in the past tense by everyone doesn't look like a good sign. Luckily it looks like she might feature in some flashbacks, but even if the odd Meryl scene does feature, it doesn't look like she's going to be a key role.

Mamma Mia 2

Mamma Mia. Credit: Rex

What is Mamma Mia 2 about?

Mamma Mia 2 again follows the character of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) who pregnant, single, and without Donna (Meryl Streep) for reasons we are yet to find out, returns to her Greek island home and is reunited with her three dads and her mum's two best friends. There she is told the story about how her mum met them all, with Lily James playing Donna in what seems to become a prequel of the original film.

Mamma Mia 2

Mamma Mia. Credit: Rex

When does Mamma Mia 2 come out?

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again will be released in UK cinemas on July 20 2018 - so there's not long to wait!

Here we go again.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.