SO MANY MAMMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN! SPOILERS

While Mamma Mia 2 aka Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! surpassed many fans expectations, there was one particular plot twist that didn’t go down particularly well with viewers.

No, not Pierce Brosnan’s singing voice (joking), but the fact that Donna Sheridan-Carmichael, aka Meryl Streep’s character, was killed off in the gap between the first and second film, and only features as a ~vision~ to daughter Sophie in the last scene.

While Donna’s death was hinted at during one of the film’s trailers, fans were still left gutted by the lack of new Meryl scenes in the follow up movie, and director Ol Parker has come forward to explain why.

In an interview with Vulture, Parker explained that killing Donna off was nothing to do with a scheduling conflict in Streep’s calendar, commenting, “If it had worked out that Meryl was going to be the lead for the whole thing, then they would have waited for a time when Meryl could be the lead for the whole thing. It was about finding the best story to tell that worked for everybody and this was the story we settled on.”

Instead, he revealed, Mamma Mia 2 writer Richard Curtis’s daughter Scarlett had suggested the sequel was actually a prequel – a bit like The Godfather II. “When the call from the producers came to [Curtis]”, Parker continued, “he was driving along with his daughter Scarlett and he wondered aloud what the story could be. She suggested the story should be Godfather II“-esque.

In order for this to be meaningful, Parker says, Donna had to die. “I think it’s the most meaningful and emotional and impactful way to tell that story and this was my suggestion. Obviously it was greatly discussed with everyone and Meryl was thrilled and delighted with it.”

There’s your answer, Streep fans. Donna had to die to make the story as sincere, earnest, and touching as possible. Makes sense.

H/T Cosmo UK