Universal Pictures debuted the first trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to 2008’s Mamma Mia! on Thursday morning. But fans weren’t ready for what it may have revealed about our beloved Donna.
In the trailer, we discover that Amanda Seyfried’s Sophie is pregnant. As she welcomes her mom’s best friends Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters) back to Greece, the women share stories about Sophie’s mom—Meryl Streep’s Donna—when she was pregnant with Sophie.
It appears that the film will be driven by more than just catchy ABBA tunes—flashbacks from Donna’s early 20s will play a large role in the storyline. Played by Lily James, the younger Donna will overcome getting left by a young lover after they discover she’s pregnant.
The trailer also showed two very huge announcements, however.
The trailer hints that Donna will be dead in the sequel. Characters often talk about her in past-tense and even the movie poster has Streep last on the cast listing, hinting that her role might begin and end in flashbacks.
Streep fans are predictably freaking out.
It better be a marketing ploy that the #MammaMia2 trailer makes it seem like Donna Sherridan is dead because I'm gonna be all kinds of not okay if that's the truth.
— 𝕊𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕠𝕣 • 𝕊 🪐 (@scndhnddaydream) December 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/MichaelMartiin/status/943878379484434433
EXCUSE ME HOW IS DONNA DEAD? #MammaMia2
— baylee ミ☆ (@jenniferxjareau) December 21, 2017
I WAS WAITING FOR MERYL TO COME OUT FROM THE TRAILER OF #MammaMia2 . AND I'M SO FREAKING EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW! I MEAN IS SHE DEAD? 😭😭💔
— Meryl Streep Fans (@StreepersPH) December 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/Xoxoitsjeff/status/943832698929467393
Well I’ve just watched the trailer for Mamma Mia 2 and I’m not seeing enough Meryl, and it seems that’s because Donna is dead, and I’m just wondering why they’ve done that #MammaMia2 pic.twitter.com/vD4Pyj11gh
— Lauren Stewart (@laurenspew) December 21, 2017
The other big surprise comes at the end of the trailer when Cher arrives to Greece as Sophie’s grandmother.
“Grandma, you weren’t invited,” Donna tells her upon her arrival. “That’s the best kind of party, little girl,” she responds.
@cher, queen of the universe is in the new #MammaMia2 movie praise the lord. Meryl & Cher together?! 🙌🏼🙌🏼👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
— it meツ (@jules_mcc28) December 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/fabadamjenkins/status/943798358585630720
#mammamia2 when Cher appeared pic.twitter.com/e8cdgt5rsG
— Bryson Aperwhite (@brealnotfake) December 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/AmberGrimes22/status/943882080848695297
Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again hits theaters on July 20.