PRINCIPAL
PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON MAMMA MIA!, |
London, England, June 28, 2007 – Principal photography has begun on the feature-film adaptation of the beloved musical Mamma Mia!, starring Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada, The Hours, The Manchurian Candidate) and Pierce Brosnan (The Matador, After the Sunset). Bringing the timeless lyrics and melodies of iconic super group ABBA to movie audiences, Mamma Mia! is the long-awaited film adaptation of the theatrical event that has been seen by more than 30 million people in 160 cities and 8 languages around the world. The three women who created the worldwide smash stage hit -- global producer Judy Craymer, writer Catherine Johnson and director Phyllida Lloyd -- repeat their roles in bringing this joyful, musical story to the big screen. The Mamma Mia! film is produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, upcoming Charlie Wilson’s War). Colin Firth (Bridget Jones’s series, Love Actually), Stellan Skarsgård (Pirates of the Caribbean series, Good Will Hunting), Christine Baranski (Chicago, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Julie Walters (Harry Potter series, Calendar Girls), Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Alpha Dog) and Dominic Cooper (The History Boys, Breakfast on Pluto) join Streep and Brosnan in this celebration of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads. An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Meryl Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends -- practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski) -- from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities. Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs from “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S.” to “Money, Money, Money” and “Take a Chance on Me,” Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found. Mamma Mia!’s behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Haris Zambarloukos (upcoming Sleuth, Venus), production designer Maria Djurkovic (The Hours, Billy Elliot), Oscar®-winning costume designer Ann Roth (The Good Shepherd, The English Patient) and editor Paul Tothill (upcoming Atonement, Pride and Prejudice). The executive producers are Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Mark Huffam. Music and lyrics are by Andersson and Ulvaeus. Mamma Mia! will film at Pinewood Studios outside of London and on location in Greece. About Universal Pictures |