A third Downton Abbey movie is officially in the works. Actress Imelda Staunton, who played Queen Mary’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Maud Bagshaw, in the first two movies confirmed the exciting news in March of 2024.
“There will be the final film—there you go,” Staunton said in an interview with BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host Zoe Ball. At this point, no other details about the film have been shared publicly—other than it's happening! But as soon as we know anything about a premiere date, the plot, and which characters are set to return to the screen, we will be sure to update this post.
Rumors about another chapter in the Crawley family's story have swirled since the second film premiered in 2022. "Honestly, I thought the fifth was the last series," creator Julian Fellowes told Town & Country at the time, when asked about the possibility of additional sequels. "Then I thought the sixth was the end of them. Then I thought the first movie was the goodbye. Who knows?"
The Downton Abbey creator continued, "If there's a big demand and everyone wants them back, I suppose I certainly wouldn't say no, because I've long since come to terms with the fact that, when I die, Downton will be the main item in any article about me going. So I might as well continue the ride for as long as it goes. But I don't know. I think it's an audience decision, really."
Over the years, members of the cast have been asked if they would return to their roles for another project. "I never say never because I’m an internal optimist," Lesley Nicol, who plays Mrs. Patmore, told Town & Country in 2022. "I have nothing to back this up, but I wouldn’t be talking out of turn if I didn’t say I’m sure the cast would be very happy to do more."
Nicol continued, "This is the real world, and we have to see if people will come out to the movie theaters and see this film. They did last time, but I just don’t know because the world has changed."
Joanne Froggart, who portrays Anna Bates, agrees with Nichols, telling Digital Spy, "I think if Julian still wants to write it and the audience still want to watch it, I think we'd all be very keen." Elizabeth McGovern, who portrays Cora Crawley, also said: "I always say I'll read the script."
For James Collier, who plays Downton's butler Barrow, he doesn't care if the audience watches or not: he wants a third movie. "I’d definitely be up for it! Even if nobody watched this one, we’d say ‘sod you lot, we’re making a third one anyway!'" Collier told Yahoo. He would still be interested in a Downton threequel, even though his character left Downton at the end of the second film to travel with Guy Dexter (Dominic West).
But Simon Curtis, who directed the sequel film, said he'll have to wait and see before committing whole-heartedly to another Downton project.
"I'd certainly be interested in reading it," he previously told T&C, "but I don't know. There's no argument for it and no argument against it. It's all in the mind of Julian Fellowes. He always seems to pull some rabbit out of all the hats, you know, he's such a wonderful writer. And so, I think for all of us, including me, it's a wait and see."
Downton Abbey: A New Era is currently available to rent or buy online. The Blue-Ray + DVD are available to buy here.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand's Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. Caroline is also currently writing a book about the Kennedy family and the British royals, and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.
