The creator of Mamma Mia!, Judy Craymer, has teased that a third film is “finally in the works” after years of fan speculation.
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.
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.
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.
Image: 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.
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.
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.
Image: 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.
“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.”
One of Leeds’ most iconic buildings is set to be brought back to life.
Plans for a brand-new padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse on Wellington Road have been approved by Leeds City Council’s West Plans Panel.
Consent has been granted for Ollo Padel to transform the Grade II* listed Roundhouse into a state-of-the-art sport, fitness, food, drink and community venue subject to conditions and completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Built in 1847 for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company, The Roundhouse was once home to the steam locomotives that powered industrial Victorian Leeds. In recent years, the building has stood largely unused.
Image: Supplied
The approved plans will restore and protect the landmark building and give the site a new, long-term future as one of the city’s most distinctive leisure destinations.
The three-acre site, located on the edge of Leeds city centre, will include nine outdoor doubles padel courts under a 10-metre canopy, plus a dedicated indoor coaching court within The Roundhouse itself.
At the heart of the site will be the Ollo Clubhouse; built around an all-day kitchen and bar, it will combine a comfortable lounge and co-working space, meeting rooms and live sport and events spaces.
The kitchen and bar will be run in partnership with Southbank Provisions, the independent Leeds hospitality team behind Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Galleria whilst the gym will be operated by fitness and performance specialists Northbound, who will bring strength and conditioning practice, Hyrox training and pilates classes to The Roundhouse.
Image: Supplied
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the venue aiming to open in early 2027.
Luke Gidney, Founder & CEO Ollo Padel: "This is a huge day for Leeds, for The Roundhouse and for Ollo. The Roundhouse has been part of the city’s story for nearly 180 years. It’s an incredible building but it needs people, energy and purpose again. Our plan is to bring it back to life as a place where people can play, eat, work, meet friends and feel part of something.
"Padel is growing so quickly because it’s fun, social and easy to pick up. But for us, this is about more than just the courts. We want Ollo to become a proper community destination for Leeds, somewhere welcoming, joyful and full of life.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Leeds City Council’s planning team, our case officer, the wider council team and everyone who has supported the project to this point. This has been a complex project but the sport and engagement throughout has been brilliant. Now the real work starts and we cannot wait to open the doors for you.”
New study crowns Leeds as one of the friendliest cities in the UK
Clementine Hall
New research has revealed a global ranking of cities with the best customer service, with Leeds taking one of the top spots.
If you've been wondering which cities across the world are the friendliest of them all, then look no further because MoneySuperMarket have done the work for us in a new study.
In a world where social media culture plays a huge part in people's lives, online customer reviews are pretty important to local businesses.
To uncover the global locations that are home to the best customer service, the businesses insurance experts analysed over 100,000 reviews of leisure and hospitality businesses in 107 cities worldwide.
They looked at the language in the reviews to see how often friendly workers and staff were mentioned, building a global ranking of the cities where customer service truly stands out.
Out of a whopping 107, Leeds came in at a very respectable number 12. Now we think that's pretty good going.
Outside of the UK, Hanoi, Paris, Montreal and Abu Dhabi were highlighted for their friendly customer service whilst Edinburgh tops the global ranking, with Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol also making the world’s top 10.
The top 10 cities in the UK with the best customer service are as follows:
Edinburgh
Liverpool
Birmingham
Bristol
Belfast
Leeds
Glasgow
Cardiff
Manchester
London
Alicia Hempsted spoke on the study: “As businesses grow and engage with more customers, it’s important to make sure they’re protected. Public liability insurance is an important safeguard for those working with the public, helping to cover costs if something goes wrong, while also showing customers that their experience is taken seriously - from the moment they walk through the door to long after they’ve left.”
The Hoot -
11th May 2023 
