Movie vs musical
Mamma Mia!: stage vs screen
The 2008 film reunited the stage show's director Phyllida Lloyd and book writer Catherine Johnson, with Meryl Streep as Donna and Amanda Seyfried as Sophie. The story is the same, but the song list is not. These are the biggest changes between the Broadway musical and the movie.
- Stage
- Broadway musical (2001)
- Screen
- Mamma Mia! (2008), directed by Phyllida Lloyd
1. A new ABBA song: "When All Is Said and Done"
The film adds "When All Is Said and Done," which Sam and Donna sing at the wedding party after they marry. It is not part of the stage score, though both versions keep "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" for the wedding itself.
2. Four stage songs are missing
"Under Attack" (Sophie's nightmare at the top of Act 2), "One of Us" (Donna's lament), and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (Sam's advice to Sophie) are not in the film. "The Name of the Game," Sophie's duet with Bill, was recorded and appears on the soundtrack album, but it was cut from the finished film.
3. "Thank You for the Music" moves to the end credits
On stage, Sophie sings "Thank You for the Music" with Sam, Harry, and Bill soon after they arrive. In the film it is heard only over the end credits, sung by Amanda Seyfried.
4. "Our Last Summer" gets new singers
In the musical, "Our Last Summer" is a late duet in which Harry and Donna remember their fling. The film moves it earlier and gives it to Harry, Bill, Sam, and Sophie as they sail around the island on Bill's boat.
5. Bill becomes Swedish
The stage show's Bill Austin is an Australian writer and adventurer. In the film he is Bill Anderson, a Swedish travel writer, played by Stellan Skarsgård.
6. The island becomes real
The stage show plays out on one taverna set. The film was shot partly on the Greek islands of Skopelos and Skiathos, with the wedding at the Agios Ioannis chapel, and "Dancing Queen" grows into a parade of island women heading down to the jetty.
7. The encore becomes the credits
The stage show ends with a concert-style encore of "Mamma Mia," "Dancing Queen," and "Waterloo" in glittery ABBA costumes. The film recreates the idea over its end credits, with the cast in costume for "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo."
Mamma Mia! movie vs musical: FAQs
Is the Mamma Mia! movie the same as the musical?
The plot is nearly identical, but the film adds "When All Is Said and Done," drops "Under Attack," "One of Us," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," and "The Name of the Game," and reassigns songs such as "Our Last Summer" and "Thank You for the Music."
What songs from the musical are not in the Mamma Mia! movie?
"Under Attack," "One of Us," and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" are not in the film. "The Name of the Game" was recorded and is on the soundtrack album but was cut from the movie.
Do we find out who Sophie's father is?
No, in either version. Sam, Bill, and Harry agree they do not need to know and happily settle for being one-third of a father each.
Is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again based on the musical?
No. The 2018 sequel tells a new story about how young Donna met Sam, Bill, and Harry, and it is not an adaptation of the stage show. It does use "One of Us" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You," two stage numbers the 2008 film left out.
The full Mamma Mia! guide covers the plot, the songs, and every character.
Read the Mamma Mia! guide