The creator of Mamma Mia! has teased that a third film in the franchise is “finally in the works” after years of fan speculation.
As the West End production of Mamma Mia! enters its 25th year on stage, the show’s creator and driving force, Judy Craymer, has been speaking about its success over the last two decades, and, more-importantly for fans, has hinted that she’s also pushing to make the dream of a third film in the beloved franchise a reality.
An absolute smash-hit success when it was released all the way back in 2008, and going on to develop a cult following of passionate fans, the original Mamma Mia! film stars Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper in some of their first major leading roles on screen.
The ensemble cast is also made up of other huge acting heavyweights like Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, and Christine Baranski.
Mamma Mia 3 is apparently ‘finally in the works’ after years of speculation / Credit: Universal Pictures
With the music of Swedish pop group ABBA soundtracking the show, and named after one of their biggest hits, the original Mamma Mia! film follows the story of Sophie and her family as they are busy preparing for her wedding, when she secretly invites three men – who were her mother’s lovers in the past – with the hope that one of them is her father.
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It may not have been a favourite of the critics, but it certainly was of the fans, and went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of that year.
And of course, with such overwhelming popularity of the first film, a second film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, was eventually commissioned and released 10 years later in 2018.
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Both a prequel and a sequel in one, the plot of the second film is set after the events of the previous film, and is intersected with flashbacks to Donna’s youth in 1979 – with some scenes from the two time periods mirroring each other.
Creator Judy Craymer has admitted she “knows there’s a trilogy there” / Credit: Universal Pictures
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was well-received, and as was to be expected, also proved popular with fans, who have since continuously begged for a third film to make the franchise a trilogy – but until now, the show’s creator has neither confirmed or denied whether anything was officially in the works, and whether the original cast would return.
In an interview with Deadline ahead of the start of ITV’s new talent show, Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, creator Judy Craymer says a third film is “in its earliest stages”, and reveals she’s come up with a way to bring back all of the previous movie’s favourite characters.
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“I don’t want to over-egg it, but I know there’s a trilogy there,” Craymer admits.
“There is a story there, and I do think Meryl should come back – and if the script is right, she would, I think, because she really loved playing Donna.”
Featured Image – Universal Pictures
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Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Emily Sergeant -
10th May 2023 
