This July it has been hard to escape the newly-coined term "Barbenheimer," as Barbie and Oppenheimer hit theaters on the same day, July 21.
Now, as over 40,000 movie-goers book their double feature tickets for the highly-anticipated films, some can't help but reminisce on the original "Barbenheimer" that took place already 15 years ago: the release of Mamma Mia! and The Dark Knight (hilariously, also by Christopher Nolan), on July 18, 2008.
Mamma Mia! introduced ABBA's whimsical disco music to a whole new generation of listeners, and became an instant-classic. Below, take a trip down memory lane with the cast's best photos, memories, and what they've said about a third movie.
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The Phyllida Lloyd-directed musical, which grossed $611 million worldwide, had Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep leading the pack of its star-studded cast.
Amanda starred as Sophie, who throughout the film is on a quest to find out who her dad is ahead of her wedding to fiancé Sky (played by Dominic Cooper), and she invites three of her mom's past lovers to the nuptials in order to determine who of them is her biological dad.
Meryl of course is the iconic Donna Sheridan, who unexpectedly faces a reunion with former lovers Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Harry Bright (Colin Firth), and Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård).
© GettyThroughout it all, she delivered epic performances of ABBA hit "Mamma Mia," of course, plus more classics like "Money, Money, Money," "Super Trouper," "Slipping Through My Fingers," and others, all with the support of on-screen best friends Tanya Chesham-Leigh and Rosie Mulligan, who were played by Christine Baranksi and Julie Waters, respectively.
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In the 15 years since the movie's release, the cast has kept busy, all maintaining their star status in Hollywood, and in 2018, they reunited for sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, which while Meryl had only a brief appearance, it had the addition of Lily James as a younger Donna, and a cameo by Cher as her mother, Ruby Sheridan.
© GettyPlus, 15 years later, it still seems we haven't seen the last of the Mamma Mia! cast just yet.
During a 2021 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, lead star Amanda revealed to the late night host that she'd be happy to reprise her role for a third time.
© Getty"Definitely third Mamma Mia!" she said, adding: "If it was up to me, yes, of course, there would be eight Mamma Mia!s. Do you know how much fun that is?"
© GettyFranchise creator and producer Judy Craymer couldn't agree more, and has previously maintained she believes the franchise is meant to be a trilogy.
© GettyIn May, she revealed to Deadline that a third installment is in fact in "earliest stages" and that: "I don't want to over-egg it, but I know there's a trilogy there."
Plus, she added: "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."
