Downton Abbey fans have been begging for a reboot ever since the show's six-season run ended back in December 2015. Three years later, the IRL estate of Highclere Castle is officially headed to the silver screen. The Downton Abbey movie will premiere next fall, and while the details of the film's plot are being kept under wraps for now, it looks like the project will bring most of your favourite characters back to Downton. Ahead, everything we know so far about Downton Abbey the movie.
The film will hit theatres in September 2019.
The Downton Abbey movie (which has yet to be given an official title) is being produced by Focus Features and will hit theatres on September 20, 2019 in North America.
Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, and more will reprise their original roles.
EW confirmed with the film's producers that the original principal cast will return to the abbey once more for the show's silver screen debut. Michelle Dockery will reprise her role as Lady Mary Crawley, Hugh Bonneville will return to play Robert Crawley, and Maggie Smith will offer even more of her beloved backhanded compliments as Violet Crawley. Joanne Froggatt, who played lady's maid Anna Bates, also will return; she tweeted about the project in July 2018.
Lily James won't appear in the film.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again star Lily James won't be returning to Downton to play Lady Rose MacClare. James told People: "My character Rose moved off to New York, so it would be farfetched to bring her back," adding, "I would have loved to have come back for a scene, but for a movie it can’t be like a Christmas special and it needs to be a focused storyline. There was no space for Rose.”
The movie will *probably* pick up right where the show left off.
The film's plot is being kept secret for now, but based on Maggie Smith's confirmed involvement with the project, we can infer the movie likely picks up not far from where the show left off. Maggie Smith's character, Violet Crawley, was 84 by the time the show's finale rolled around, so given Smith's confirmed appearance in the film, it's unlikely that the film's storyline will involve a huge time jump.
The show's creator is writing the script for the film.
Julian Fellowes, the show's creator, has written the screenplay and will co-produce alongside Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge.
“When the television series drew to a close it was our dream to bring the millions of global fans a movie and now, after getting many stars aligned, we are shortly to go into production," Neame said in a statement. "Julian’s script charms, thrills, and entertains and in Brian Percival’s hands we aim to deliver everything that one would hope for as Downton comes to the big screen.”
