Mama Mia!

Lady Rose

Looks like Pierce is branching out into musicals!

Pierce Brosnan Joins Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! Film
By: Brian Scott Lipton

Pierce Brosnan has signed on to play Sam Carmichael, the love interest of lead character Donna Sheridan, in the film version of the hit musical Mamma Mia!, according to Variety. Filming is expected to begin this summer, with Phyllida Lloyd, the musical's director, at the helm. As previously announced, two-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep will play Donna; no other casting has been announced.
Mamma Mia! features a book by Catherine Johnson -- who will write the screenplay -- and the songs of the pop group ABBA to tell the story of a young woman getting married on a Greek island who tries to find out who her father is -- a secret long-held by her mother.

Brosnan first gained fame on the television series Remington Steele. On the big screen, he is best known for playing James Bond in a number of films, including GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies. His other films include The Thomas Crown Affair, The Matador, and the recently released Seraphim Falls.

Mamma Mia! opened in London in 1999, and on Broadway in 2001. It has played in over 100 cities around the world, including a popular Las Vegas production, which is now scheduled to close in summer 2008.


http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/10256

darenhat

Pierce Brosnan and ABBA? Hmmm...not my cup of tea, but hope it works for him.

Alex

I heart ABBA

Barbel

I'm sure that somewhere in the title Mamma Mia, a joke about Woody Allen is struggling to get out.

John Drake

I don't know the musical. What will Pierce be singing? I could see him doing a mean rendition of 'Dancing Queen.'

Barbel

John Drake wrote:

I don't know the musical. What will Pierce be singing?

Well, there's an ABBA song called "Ring! Ring! (Why Don't You Give Me A Call?)". He could sing that and dedicate it to Mickey & Babs.

Loeffelholz

ABBA has been a guilty pleasure of mine since the mid-70's...

"Fernando," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," "Waterloo," "Dancing Queen," "Take a Chance on Me," "When All is Said and Done," etc... :x

I didn't know 'Seraphim Falls' had been released...? Is it stateside?

Sir Hillary Bray

Having seen Mamma Mia on stage several years ago and being hazy on the details, I can't remember which songs were sung by men. One I do remember was "The Winner Takes It All" which was sung as a duet. Also, the stage version features three men vying for the attention of the female lead...with a star of Pierce's wattage, it will be interesting to see if they alter the story to elevate his role.

Moore Not Less

darenhat wrote:

Pierce Brosnan and ABBA? Hmmm...not my cup of tea, but hope it works for him.

Pierce Brosnan and ABBA? It could be Pierce's Waterloo.

I like much of ABBA's music, SOS is one of my favourite songs of all time. However, Mamma Mia! does not appeal to me at all.

Moonraker 5

Sir Hillary Bray wrote:

Also, the stage version features three men vying for the attention of the female lead...with a star of Pierce's wattage, it will be interesting to see if they alter the story to elevate his role.

If I remember correctly, it's the character of Sam Carmichael who is the "main" man, who weds Donna at the end.

jetsetwilly

Can the Brozzer sing?

Lady Rose

jetsetwilly wrote:

Can the Brozzer sing?

We're about to find out )

darenhat

Curiously, I feel that ABBA's music lends itself to some great comedic moments when performed by someone who can't sing. This should be fun!

Moore Not Less

Lady Rose wrote:

jetsetwilly wrote:

Can the Brozzer sing?

We're about to find out )

You can judge for yourselves whether the Brozza can sing by listening to two thirty second samples from the Evelyn soundtrack.

Track #6 On the Banks of the Roses
Track #9 The Parting Glass

Click on the link then scroll down the page.

http://www.amazon.com/Evelyn-Score-Stephen-Endelman/dp/B00006XPTG

Dan Same

I'm a big fan of ABBA, and I saw Mamma Mia twice, plus I love Brosnan and Streep, so if this works, I think it could be fantastic.

The problem is, that in order for it to be successful, the filmmakers would have to treat it seriously, without going overboard, and not look at it as camp. What I loved about the musical, was it was incredibly fun, very well-written and the music was required to service the plot, rather than the other way around. That is how I think the filmmakers should approach the film: Have fun, don't make too many radical changes to the plot and don't be afraid to cast off any songs if they don't fit into the plot. I'll definitely be seeing this film. {[]

Lady Rose

Here's the trailers ...


http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/m/Mamma-Mia/index-3727185.html

(There doesn't appear to be a decent version out yet)

Not sure about this at all

John Drake

I saw the trailer this morning. I agree, it looks naff. The premise, girl invites 3 men who might be her father, to meet her mother again is kind of...odd, for a romantic comedy. I didn't know the musical at all. I was hoping it was about Abba, and we'd see Brozzer dressed up in a 70's style suit, while Meryl Streep sings 'Waterloo.' But sadly, it seems it's a case of, Who's yer daddy? 007 or Mr Darcy.

Lady Rose

John Drake wrote:

But sadly, it seems it's a case of, Who's yer daddy? 007 or Mr Darcy.

There really appears to be some random casting going on in this movie.

I just wish Colin Firth :x would make a decent movie - I'll have to go and see this and I'll also have to subject myself to St Trinians

John Drake

Lady Rose wrote:

I just wish Colin Firth :x would make a decent movie - I'll have to go and see this and I'll also have to subject myself to St Trinians

I'm kind of looking forward to St Trinians. If you haven't seen the trailer yet LR, I posted it in the 'Films you are looking forward to' thread. It kind of reminds me of Spiceworld for some reason.

Lady Rose

John Drake wrote:

I'm kind of looking forward to St Trinians.

Actually, I've seen the trailer and I think it looks a riot ;%

LR jnr is looking forward to it very much.