Everything you need to know about the Downton Abbey sequel
It's official; years after the first film was released, Downton Abbey is returning for a sequel. The hit film, which was a spin off of the original ITV series, will be getting a follow up.
Downton Abbey 2, titled Downton Abbey: A New Era, will see the original cast reprise their roles, alongside some new and exciting names including The Pursuit of Love's Dominic West and Guardians of the Galaxy Laura Haddock.
Here's everything we know about the Downton Abbey sequel.
Do we have a trailer for Downton Abbey 2?
Not only do we have trailers (more on that below), but we've also been treated to a behind the scenes look at how the series was made. In a featurette that dropped on 18th April 2022, Clara Amfo promises to take us behind the scenes (or behind the lens, as it were) on how the new film was made:
Before that, an official trailer for Downton Abbey: A New Era dropped on 15th February 2022, and there's plenty of exciting stuff to look forward to. We see Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (played by Maggie Smith), revealing that she's been left a house in the South Of France (which looks amazing, btw), while a cast and crew of filmmakers turn up to produce a movie at Downton.
There are also clips of new cast members Dominic West and Laura Haddock in character, and we can't wait to see more.
Prior to the latest update, the first trailer for the film was released on 15th November 2021, giving us our first hint at what the storyline might be about, as Violet announces her surprise ownership of the French villa.
Before that, our first look at A New Era was released on 10th November 2021, with pics giving fans a glimpse of what's to come:
When is Downton Abbey 2 being released?
The film reportedly began production in April 2021, and while it was originally slated for release on December 22, 2021, that's been pushed back - twice. First, Focus Pictures said Downton Abbey 2 would be released in the UK on Friday, 18 March, 2022.
As of January 2022, that was delayed again: Downton Abbey: A New Era will now be released on 29 April, 2022, and later on the 20 May in the US. Eek.
Who has been cast in Downton Abbey 2?
The first bit of good news is that the original principle cast are all set reprise their roles in the sequel. So we can expect to see the Crawley family, Carson and all the gang back together again. Joining them are some big and exciting new names, including West and Haddock, plus Hannibal's Hugh Dancy and Catch Me If You Can star Nathalie Baye.
Diehard fans will also be pleased to hear that series creator Julian Fellowes will be writing the film's screenplay, with Simon Curtis (Goodbye Christopher Robin) directing.
What's Downton Abbey 2 going to be about?
The film's latest trailers have given us some insight into what A New Era might be about. First we learnt that Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, had come into possession of a villa in the South of France, with trailers showing the Downton crew heading across the channel to visit.
What's more, we also see Downton entering "the modern world" as a film cast and crew turn up to shoot a movie at the house.
Looking back at the first film, the plot followed a dramatic royal visit from the King and Queen of England, so it's possible that the second film could follow along with more royal involvement - though we'll have to wait and see to find out.
While Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski hinted in April 2021 that the film could be set at Christmas, the new release date - four months later than planned - suggests otherwise.
"There's no place like home for the holidays, and we can’t imagine a better gift than getting to reunite with Julian, Gareth, and the entire Downton family in 2021 to bring the Crawley’s back home for their fans," he told Variety.
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