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MAMMA MIA THE MOVIE

Mamma Mia! beats UK cinema record  

 Mamma Mia! is the highest-grossing British film at the UK box office

Musical film Mamma Mia! has become the highest grossing movie cinema release in the UK, beating 1997 film Titanic.

Mamma Mia! has now taken just over £69m at the box office, narrowly passing Titantic's record.

The record was broken just a few days after the film picked up two Golden Globe nominations including best actress for star Meryl Streep.

Now in its 23rd week of release, the movie has become the number one film in 15 countries.

'Delighted audiences'

David Kosse, president of Universal Pictures International, said breaking the record set nearly 10 years ago was "truly phenomenal".

He added: "This film has exceeded our expectations and delighted audiences around the world since it opened in July."

Titanic, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, had taken£69,025,646 by the time it had finished its cinema run in 1998.

Mamma Mia! has slightly exceeded that with takings of £69,066,035, while Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is in third place with £66,096,060.

Last week it was announced Mamma Mia! was up for two Golden Globes.

The movie was nominated for best film (musical or comedy) and best actress (musical or comedy).

Streep leads the all-star cast in the feature-film adaptation of the musical based on Abba's hits, which also features Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Julie Walters and Dominic Cooper.

 

BBC NEWS

 

 

 

MAMMA MIA FACTS:

 

£67.95m Mamma Mia!’s UK cinema box office takings

 

33 The number of countries in which Mamma Mia! is the all-time highest grossing musical film.

 

£175m Box office takings from the London stage production since 1999.

 

$2 billion - Stage show’s worldwide gross

 

$565m Worldwide cinema box office so far

 

32m Number of people who’ve seen the stage show around the world

 

5m Number of people who’ve seen the London stage show

 

£5m The stage show’s weekly ticket sales

 

£1.05m What Mamma Mia! needs to make to beat Titanic to become the highest grossing film in the UK

 

Facts Giles Hattersley The Sunday Times

 

 

 

 

 

25.8.2008

Mamma Mia! is the highest grossing musical film of all time

Mamma Mia! The Movie Beats Box Office Expectations

Mamma Mia! The Movie seems to have defied all box office expectations on both the domestic and international front.

The film stayed in the top ten, coming in at number nine and bringing $4.3 million dollars. That brings the total domestic gross for the film up to $124 million dollars.

Overseas, the film grossed an additional $12 million. That brings the total gross up to $232.5 million, making it the highest grossing musical of all time, beating Chicago by $100 million and counting.

Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast in the feature-film adaptation of the beloved musical that has been seen by more than 30 million people in 170 cities and eight languages around the world. Bringing the timeless lyrics and melodies of iconic super group ABBA to movie audiences, summer 2008 is the season for MAMMA MIA!

The feature film adaptation of the global stage hit production brings the magic of ABBA's music to the silver screen. With rising star Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, alongside Hollywood heavy-hitters Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skasgârd, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, the film features the stars' versions of 17 ABBA classics in this celebration of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads.

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.

An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (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 & 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.

 

August 13, 2008 Mamma Mia! soundtrack No. 1 on US chart

Billboard: five weeks after release, the ABBA-driven soundtrack to Mamma Mia! rose two places to No. 1 on the U.S. albums chart this week.

The Decca Records release sold 130,000 copies in the week ended August 10, becoming the second soundtrack this year to reach the summit, following the "Juno" soundtrack in January. 

The film has earned $104 million at the North American box office. 

ABBA has never had a top 10 album on the Billboard 200; highest charting was 1978's "The Album," which peaked at No. 14.

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7481848.stm

 

London's Leicester Square was transformed into a star-studded Greek paradise for the world premiere of Mamma Mia! the movie.

 

Hollywood superstars Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Pierce Brosnan were joined by home-grown talent Colin Firth and Julie Walters on a blue carpet meant to capture the film's Greek island setting.

 

The landmark was also decorated with lemon trees - adorned with fake fruits - and a Greek church which were fittingly bathed by the summer sun.

 

As the stars arrived, Abba's legendary hits from the stage musical filled the square to the delight of hundreds of fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the impressive guest list.

 

No reunion

 

They clutched cameras, autograph books and Greek flags which emphasised the film's Aegean leanings.

 

Three members of the Swedish supergroup turned out for the occasion - Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

 

But Andersson, a co-producer of the new movie, was quick to issue an emphatic "no" to a possible reunion of the quartet, and added that the Mamma Mia! project was now over.

 

"This is the end of it, I think. But it's no retirement. I'll continue to write. We're going to do something else, but I don't know what yet," said the musician.

 

Andersson added that the atmosphere in Leicester Square was "absolutely wonderful", and said the whole Mamma Mia! project - both stage show and film - had been a "joy".

 

The Swede said that his involvement in promoting the film would end after Friday's premiere in Stockholm, enabling him to put his feet up.

 

Film legends Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, Mamma Mia's executive producer, took their time working the azure carpet, with Streep keen to sign as many autographs for fans as possible.

 

Hanks was unsure which Abba song is his favourite - finally settling on Ring, Ring, while Julie Walters was unable to pin down her top track.

 

But the Oscar nominee said that she had become "bosom buddies" with Streep after being "together all the time" for five months while the film was made.

 

There was less adulation for young British actor Dominic Wood, who plays Sky in the film - but he had the support of friend and Gavin and Stacey star James Corden.

 

"I had no confidence or faith in my vocal abilities whatsoever, but I though there's just one thing to do and that's go for it," he said of his audition to land the part.

 

"I always thought I wasn't an Abba fan until a girlfriend from the time sent me a video of me in a fur coat singing Money, Money, Money and knowing all the lyrics," he confessed.

 

The film, which is released in the UK on 10 July, tells the story of teenager Sophie Sheridan, who is unaware who her father is as her wedding day approaches.

 

Her mother (played by Streep) invites the three candidates to the wedding, and the story is peppered with the hits of Abba.

 

The stage version opened in 1999 and has become one of the most successful musicals of all time.

 

 

JUNE 5 - 2008

 

The Mamma Mia! Soundtrack will be released internationally through Polydor UK on July 7. In Sweden the release will be on July 4. The soundtrack contains the ABBA songs from the musical, performed by Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård and the rest of the cast. The tracklist: Honey Honey Money, Money, Money Mamma Mia Dancing Queen Our Last Summer Lay All Your Love On Me Super Trouper Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! The Name Of The Game Voulez-Vous S.O.S. Does Your Mother Know Slipping Through My Fingers The Winner Takes It All When All Is Said And Done Take A Chance On Me I Have A Dream

 

 

May 30, 2008

Mamma Mia! Movie world premiere date moved... Due to a potential strike by the American Screen Actors Guild, the date of the world premiere in London for the movie of Mamma Mia! has been changed. Instead of being 1 July 2008, the red carpet event at London's Leicester Square Odeon will now take place on 30 June 2008.

 

 

 

 

May 20, 2008 MAMMA MIA WORLD PREMIERE DATES:

World premiere: Odeon Leicester Square, London: 1 July 2008 * Amsterdam: 2 July Berlin: 2 July * London: 2 July (charity preview) Stockholm: 4 July * Sydney: 8 July (press junket only?) * Melbourne: 9 July * New York: 16 July * (* announced cast attendance) Buy tickets for the Prince’s Trust world premiere of Mamma Mia! The Movie May 20, 2008 From The Prince's Trust: We are delighted to announce that we will be benefiting from two fantastic events associated with Mamma Mia! The Movie. The first event is the eagerly awaited World Premiere of Mamma Mia! The Movie in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at the Odeon Leicester Square in aid of The Prince’s Trust on Tuesday 1st July 2008. Come and join the stars, and our celebrity ambassadors, for the glitz and glamour on the red carpet for this extraordinary film. We have two packages available for this event. Why not come and relax in the surroundings of either The Hampshire or Vertigo, your choice, for our pre-show reception and soak in the London sky line before going to watch the film of the Summer. Or just come and enjoy the atmosphere and walk down the red carpet with a seat only ticket. World Premiere ticket prices – Tuesday 1st July £375 includes pre-show reception £250 seat only On top of this we have also been given an exclusive Charity Preview the next night, Wednesday 2nd July 2008 at the Odeon West End. This will still be an amazing opportunity to see the film before it is released to the general public. You also have the choice of two packages with a pre-show reception and seat only ticket. Charity Preview ticket prices – Wednesday 2nd July £150 includes pre show reception £50 seat only Please call the Events Ticket Hotline on 020 7543 1389 to book your tickets.