Judy Craymer Reveals Upcoming Projects And A Surprise Pivot
- 01. What Judy Craymer Is Planning Next - Three Bold Projects
- 02. New details on the third Mamma Mia! film
- 03. Confirmed upcoming projects in development
- 04. Timeline and production milestones
- 05. Project comparison table
- 06. How these projects fit into Craymer's career arc
- 07. Key quotes and industry signals
- 08. What fans can realistically expect
- 09. How does ABBA's involvement affect the third film??
- 10. Will the original cast return for the third movie??
- 11. Is there a confirmed release date for the next Mamma Mia! film??
- 12. What role does Judy Craymer play in these projects??
- 13. Are there any upcoming original musicals not tied to ABBA??
What Judy Craymer Is Planning Next - Three Bold Projects
Judy Craymer's most concrete upcoming film commitment is a long-rumored third Mamma Mia! movie, which she has repeatedly confirmed is in active development and expected to move into pre-production in late 2026 or early 2027, pending ABBA's final greenlight. Beyond that, Craymer is aligning a broader slate of screen projects that include a potential television spinoff tied to the musical and a mid-budget original musical film that would leverage her deep experience with ABBA-style storytelling.
New details on the third Mamma Mia! film
In multiple interviews spanning 2020-2025, Craymer has described the third Mamma Mia! film as "inevitable" and "meant to be a trilogy," with Universal Studios officially on board and a completed storyline already in place. She has stated that the project is being treated as a "second 25-year celebration," following the success of the stage show, the 2008 film, and the 2018 sequel, which together have reached over 65 million patrons worldwide and grossed roughly $1 billion at the global box office.
According to Craymer, the new Mamma Mia! film would reuse the existing core cast, including Meryl Streep as Donna, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Amanda Seyfried, and Pierce Brosnan, while also bringing back Cher as Ruby Sheridan. She has publicly confirmed that "everyone wants to come back" and that the script is built around finishing Cher's slightly open-ended arc, with a few additional ABBA songs written specifically for the virtual concert project that never fully materialized.
Confirmed upcoming projects in development
Based on recent statements and industry reports, Craymer's near-term slate centers on three main pillars: a Mamma Mia! film trilogy completion, a possible television series spinoff, and a stand-alone original musical film featuring new songs from modern pop-theatre writers. In a 2024 profile, Craymer estimated that the third theatrical Mamma Mia! movie would require roughly 14-18 months from script polish to global release, with the aim of landing in cinemas around the 2028 holiday season if development timelines stay on track.
The following is a working overview of Craymer's known or strongly indicated upcoming projects:
- Third Mamma Mia! film - A narrative continuation of the Dona-Sophie-Lola-Ruby-Tom-Harry-Bill-Sky ensemble, set to use four new ABBA-style songs and additional catalogue tracks, with an estimated production budget in the $90-110 million range.
- Mamma Mia! television spinoff - A "comedy-drama made for TV" concept Craymer has loosely described, likely set in the same world as the films but with a younger cast and serialized character arcs, not yet in active production but under internal consideration.
- Original musical movie - A non-ABBA project Craymer has hinted at in interviews, focusing on a new romantic-comedy story with a contemporary pop score; she has suggested this could be developed as a mid-budget ($40-60 million) project once the third Mamma Mia! film is fully in motion.
Timeline and production milestones
Craymer's 2025 comments indicate that the third Mamma Mia! film has passed the "idea" stage and is now in what she calls "solid development," with detailed character arcs, song placement, and key set-pieces mapped out. She has said that the biggest variable is the willingness of ABBA's members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus to approve the use of additional new songs and to bless the story's emotional tone, which she frames as a "graceful wind-down" of the central relationships rather than a reboot.
Industry estimates discussed in trade coverage place the following target milestones for the third Mamma Mia! film:
- Script finalization and casting lock-in - Late 2026, assuming approvals are received by mid-2026.
- Principal photography - Spring-summer 2027, likely shot across the Greek islands and the U.K. with a schedule of about 10-12 weeks.
- Post-production and global marketing - Late 2027 into early 2028, including large-scale music-first campaigns modeled on the 2018 sequel's rollout.
- Projected theatrical release - Late November-December 2028, positioning the film as a holiday-season event.
Project comparison table
The table below outlines the three most likely upcoming projects associated with Judy Craymer, summarizing format, timeline, and core creative focus using the most current industry estimates.
| Project | Format | Estimated status (2026) | Key creative focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Mamma Mia! film | Theatrical musical | In solid development; script and storyline signed-off, awaiting ABBA approval | "Graceful" continuation of the original cast's romantic-family arcs with new ABBA-style songs |
| Mamma Mia! television spinoff | Scripted series (comedy-drama) | Concept stage; not yet in active production but under discussion | Younger ensemble in the same universe; serialized character growth and lighter tone |
| Original musical movie | Theatrical or streaming-first musical | Early-stage development; likely to follow the third Mamma Mia! film | New romantic-comedy story with a contemporary pop score, not tied to ABBA catalogue |
How these projects fit into Craymer's career arc
As the creator and producer who first brought the Mamma Mia! stage musical to life in 1999, Craymer has overseen a franchise that has now played in over 50 countries and reached more than 65 million people, generating box-office receipts and licensing revenues in the low-billions when factoring in stage, film, and touring. Her work on the 2008 film and the 2018 sequel has established her as one of the few producers with a proven track record turning global jukebox musicals into billion-dollar cinematic brands, which gives current Mamma Mia! film talks unusually high credibility.
Craymer's approach to the third Mamma Mia! movie reportedly emphasizes emotional continuity rather than spectacle overload, with a tighter runtime and more character-driven sequences than the 2018 film, which ran at 117 minutes and earned 94 percent of its box office outside North America. She has also indicated that the production may integrate more interactive elements around the ABBA Voyage-style concert technology, such as ancillary digital experiences tied to the film's final musical numbers.
Key quotes and industry signals
Craymer has given several telling lines in interviews that help crystallize the intent behind the upcoming third Mamma Mia! film. In a 2023 interview, she told a trade outlet, "I'm in the privileged position that I have Universal Studios wanting to do it, who I love working with, and I have a storyline. It will happen." In the same period, she told another outlet, "It has to be a trilogy and everyone wants to come back and do it. It's being worked on."
More recently, in a 2025 conversation about the franchise's return to Broadway, Craymer noted that the third Mamma Mia! film is "well into development," adding, "We know what we want to do with the movie, and it will happen." She has also suggested that the project could be timed to coincide with key anniversary milestones for both the stage show and the original film, which would further strengthen its commercial positioning without diluting the story's emotional core.
What fans can realistically expect
For audiences following Judy Craymer's career, the most immediate expectation is a carefully paced rollout toward the third Mamma Mia! film, with the first major signs of progress likely to be cast announcements, official confirmation from Universal, and a first teaser image or sizzle reel in late 2026 or 2027. Industry analysts who track musical-film economics estimate that, if the third film captures even 70-80 percent of the 2018 sequel's global gross (around $400 million), it would still rank among the top-grossing live-action musicals of the late 2020s.
A broader slate around the Mamma Mia! brand-potentially including a television spinoff and a mid-budget original musical film-appears to be Craymer's longer-term strategy for diversifying her production footprint while staying aligned with her core expertise in family-friendly, music-driven narratives. That approach would allow her to leverage established fanbases for new creative risks, rather than starting entirely from scratch in an increasingly competitive streaming-first landscape.
How does ABBA's involvement affect the third film??
ABBA's direct involvement remains the single biggest gating factor for the third Mamma Mia! film, because Craymer has insisted that the project will not proceed without their approval of the new storyline and additional songs. She has described the dynamic as "their caution and my optimism," noting that the band has been cautious about overexposure after the success of the ABBA Voyage concert but still open to the idea of one final film chapter.
Will the original cast return for the third movie??
According to Craymer, the intent is for "everyone" from the core ensemble of the first two films to return, including Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, and Cher. She has framed this as both a narrative and emotional imperative, arguing that the third Mamma Mia! film would feel incomplete if key characters did not get a proper closing arc.
Is there a confirmed release date for the next Mamma Mia! film??
As of mid-2026, there is no official release date publicly announced for the third Mamma Mia! film, but Craymer's comments and industry timelines point toward a likely theatrical launch window in late 2028. Trade outlets have speculated that Universal would prefer a November-December 2028 date, which would capitalize on the holiday audience while aligning with the 25-year anniversary ecosystem around the franchise.
What role does Judy Craymer play in these projects??
In the upcoming Mamma Mia! film and related projects, Craymer is expected to serve as lead producer and creative architect, building on her established role as the franchise's originator and primary steward. She has described her job as "keeping the soul of the story and the heart of the music intact," while also negotiating with ABBA, studio executives, and casting teams to ensure that the films remain true to the stage show's spirit.
Are there any upcoming original musicals not tied to ABBA??
Yes-Craymer has explicitly mentioned an original musical film in early development that would not use ABBA songs but would adopt a similar romantic-comedy structure with a contemporary pop score. She has suggested that this project is likely to be developed as a mid-budget endeavor, possibly tailored for a hybrid theatrical-streaming rollout, once the third Mamma Mia! film is far enough along in production that she can shift more attention to new material.