Donna Could Return in Mamma Mia 3, Says Stellan Skarsgård

Speculation around a possible Mamma Mia 3 is heating up once again, with renewed chatter about whether Donna Sheridan — played by Meryl Streep — could make a surprise return to the beloved musical franchise.

The latest comments came from Stellan Skarsgård, who portrayed Bill, one of Donna’s former lovers, in the first two films. Speaking to reporters at the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 11, Skarsgård suggested that Donna’s story may not be over after all.

“She can be brought back from the dead — everybody can be brought back from the dead in the movies,” Skarsgård said in the press room after winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Sentimental Value. “And in the movies, she’s fantastic.”

Donna was written out of the story in 2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, where her death from an unspecified illness is revealed off-screen. Despite that, Skarsgård hinted that behind-the-scenes discussions are ongoing.

“A lot of people are working on it, to bring her back,” he added, referring to Streep and her iconic character.

Producer Judy Craymer has previously confirmed that a script for Mamma Mia 3 is complete and that the project remains in development. Speaking to Deadline in May, Craymer said, “We know what we want to do with the movie, and it will happen,” while also teasing the possibility of Sabrina Carpenter joining the cast.

However, the film has not yet been officially greenlit, and no casting announcements have been made.

Streep herself has expressed enthusiasm about returning in some form. In Vogue’s 2023 “Oral History of Mamma Mia!,” the three-time Oscar winner said she would be open to creative solutions.

“If there’s an idea that excites me, I’m totally there,” Streep said. “I told Judy if she could figure out a way to reincarnate Donna, I’m into that.”

Meanwhile, Amanda Seyfried, who plays Donna’s daughter Sophie, has made it clear she is ready for another installment.

“I have no idea where the story is going to go,” Seyfried told PEOPLE in December, “but I know there’s going to be a lot of singing and dancing. I’m going to keep campaigning for that movie until I’m blue in the face.”

For now, fans will have to wait to see whether Donna’s story continues — but optimism around Mamma Mia 3 is clearly growing.