The movie musical, according to a press statement, has now grossed £69,068,073. The previous record holder, "Titanic," grossed £69,025,646 with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" a close third at £66,096,060.
In a statement David Kosse, president of Universal Pictures International said, "'For Mamma Mia!' to make history in this way and beat 'Titanic,' which has held the record in the U.K. since 1998, is truly phenomenal. This film has exceeded our expectations and delighted audiences around the world since it opened in July. This box-office record is a tribute to producer Judy Craymer, director Phyllida Lloyd, writer Catherine Johnson and our brilliant cast who worked so hard on this film."
"Mamma Mia!" recently earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture (musical or comedy) and Best Actress (musical or comedy) for star Meryl Streep.
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Following a record-breaking opening in the U.K., "Mamma Mia!" opened in cinemas nationwide July 18. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd, which marked her feature-film debut. Lloyd helmed both the London and Broadway mountings of Mamma Mia! Using the catalogue of '70s pop group ABBA, the plot tells the story of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan, who hopes to discover her father's identity on the eve of her wedding. She brings three men from her mother Donna's past back to the Greek island they last visited 20 years previously.
The show and film feature music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Since the original London production opened in 1999, the musical has grossed over $2 billion worldwide.
The film, according to the Universal Pictures website, is described as such: "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 and 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."
Mamma Mia! continues to play to sell-out crowds at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre.
For more information visit www.mammamiamovie.com.
