TheDownton Abbeymovieis definitely, officially happening. Focus Features and Carnival Films have announced that the beginning of principal photography on theDownton Abbeymovie “is due to begin soon,” confirming that the original cast from the TV series are returning alongside new additionsImelda Staunton(Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix),Geraldine James(Anne with an E),Simon Jones(The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy),David Haig(Killing Eve),Tuppence Middleton(The Imitation Game),Kate Philips(The Crown), andStephen Campbell Moore(History Boys), among others.
Julian Fellowes, who created and wroteDownton Abbey, penned the screenplay for the film and will produce alongsideGareth NeameandLiz Trubridge. While it was initially announced thatBrian Percival—who directed theDownton Abbeypilot and various episodes as well as feature films likeThe Book Thief—would be helming theDownton Abbeymovie, that’s no longer the case. The press release states that Percival will now executive produce the film, and veteran TV directorMichael Englerwill be taking the helm.
Engler directed four episodes ofDownton Abbeyin total, including the Season 6 Christmas Special/series finale, so he’s no stranger to this material. No reason was given for Percival’s departure from the director’s chair, but Engler was an obvious choice as he also directed the pilot for Fellowes’ NBC seriesThe Gilded Ageand helmed the upcoming Fellowes-scripted featureThe Chaperone.But he also has extensive comedy experience with shows like30 RockandUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, so he’s a pretty versatile guy.
It’s still unclear what story theDownton Abbeymovie will be telling. The series came to a close in 2015 after six seasons and 15 Primetime Emmy Awards. It was a true crossover hit, becoming appointment viewing here in the States on PBS and leading to fans lobbying the network to air new episodes of the show at the same time that they aired in the U.K., so as to avoid spoilers. And while the quality waned a bit in the latter seasons, it remains a rich world and I’m curious to see what the feature film brings to the table.
No release date has been announced, but I wouldn’t be surprised if theDownton Abbeymovie hit theaters during the 2019 holiday season.
