Chart-topping pop princess Sabrina Carpenter is in line for her biggest gig yet - a potential lead in the long-awaited Mamma Mia 3.
The 26-year-old singer, who’s recently been riding high with hits like Espresso, is being eyed for starring in the sequel to the billion-pound global smash hit franchise.
The film's legendary producer Judy Craymer, the woman behind both the original West End stage show and its two cinematic spin-offs, confirmed she has finished a script and that the third instalment of the sun-drenched musical is officially in the works.
“She’d be a goddess or some relation who would look very much like Meryl Streep,” Craymer teased to Deadline, referring to Carpenter’s uncanny resemblance to Streep’s beloved character Donna Sheridan. “We know what we want to do with the movie, and it will happen.”
But the news has been met with some backlash as fans online have already complained about the inexperienced actress taking the lead role over seasoned actresses “just because of her looks”.
“This is another form of nepotism with the casting of Sabrina,” complained one on X. Another wrote: “Yeah, Sabrina because there’s not any trained actresses!”
The hint has sent fans into a frenzy, speculating that Carpenter could play Donna’s granddaughter - or even a young Donna in new flashback scenes.
Carpenter can certainly sing and she recently showed off her acting chops in several skits on Saturday Night Live.It wouldn’t be the first time the franchise has jumped back in time: the 2018 sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, featured a star turn from Lily James as a young Donna.
Carpenter, who got her start on the Disney Channel before making waves in the music world, has already been dubbed the “future face of feel-good cinema” by some industry insiders. And Carpenter is no stranger to ABBA's discography - her recent Short n’ Sweet tour featured cheeky nods to the Swedish supergroup, and she even boasts two cats named Benny and Björn.
Fittingly, she met ABBA co-founder Björn Ulvaeus himself last month in Stockholm. While no official casting announcements have been made, Carpenter is said to have the backing of major players within the franchise, including several returning cast members.
A source close to production said: “There’s a huge appetite for Sabrina in this next chapter. She has the charisma, the vocal chops, and the star power to take Mamma Mia into a new generation. She’s also been embraced by fans across age groups - just like the ABBA hits themselves.
”Originally released in 2008, Mamma Mia! was adapted from the 1999 West End musical and starred Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, and Pierce Brosnan in a sun-soaked Greek-island tale of romance, nostalgia and (of course) ABBA bangers.
The film grossed over $600 million worldwide, with its sequel, Here We Go Again, adding another $400 million to the pot. Carpenter, who recently turned heads at the Met Gala, has spoken in the past about her love for musicals and the kind of cinema that brings people together.
“There’s something magical about films that make you feel like dancing in your seat,” she said in a 2024 interview. “If I ever got to do something like Mamma Mia, I think my 10-year-old self would explode.”
The Standard has reached out to Carpenter’s team for comment.
