Abba: “No Mamma Mia 2 For You!”

Mamma Mia, the movie based around and featuring songs by Abba, was a huge success. Some of the singing (cough Piers Brosnan cough) may have been a bit off, and the audience may have had an average age of about 60, but it didn’t seem to matter. The movie made a ton of money at the box-office and has done amazingly well since being released on DVD and Blu-ray as well.

Having made almost $700 million around the world and being the highest-grossing film of all time in the UK (we have a lot of middle-aged women with nothing to do on weekdays) there is an obvious demand for a sequel. The cast and crew seem to be keen but one man isn’t, and he would seem to have the final say.

According to The Telegraph, Björn Ulvaeus, a quarter of Abba and co-writer of all the songs used in the film, is totally against the idea of a Mamma Mia 2. he thinks it would only be being made to make money and that isn’t justification enough for a man already richer than God.

He told the newspaper:

“It wouldn’t work. I don’t think we would do a sequel. We have moved on to other projects now.”

I kind of see his logic. The point about the first film was turning the stage play into a movie that everyone can enjoy. A second one would seem to be overkill somewhat. There is also the undeniable fact that all the best songs were used in the original. Mamma Mia 2 would either have a totally different plot but the same songs, or be a poor imitation featuring the less famous tracks from Abba’s back catalog.

Mamma Mia is what it is – a fun film that everyone involved with made lots of money from. Let it lie, let it remain a classic in its own right. Maybe remake it for a new generation in 20 years time (with a better storyline perhaps). But for now just Let it be. Oh hang on, that was The Beatles wasn’t it?