Back in April of last year we heard that the Mamma Mia musical was coming to the big screen, now there's a major casting announcement in the form of the superb Meryl Streep.

According to Variety Phyllida Lloyd will make her directorial debut on the film. Lloyd directed the original musical on London and on Broadway. Catherine Johnson wrote the book that made the musical and has also written the screenplay.

Streep recently sang in A Prairie Home Companion (Filmstalker review) and she was superb, not only a great voice but such a natural and real performance, and I think she'll be wonderful in this musical.

Streep is set to play the single mother of the daughter who is about to get married but doesn't know who her Father is. She invites three possible candidates to her wedding and the drama triggers off many a Abba hit.

Looks like this is going to be a big budget film which is set to capture the original tone of the musical and hopefully the original returns.

Have you seen the musical and does this casting news interest you?