CULTURE

A Downton Abbey Movie Is Happening With the Original Cast

It's all happening.

July 13, 2018

PBS/Everett Collection

Great news for those of you who never fully recovered from Downton Abbey ending two years ago: It’s coming back, officially. On Friday, Focus Features announced in a press release that the beloved PBS series is getting a revival on the big screen.

Even better news? The original cast is returning. (Entertainment Weekly confirmed that Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, and Joanne Froggatt have all signed on.) And to top it all off, we’ll be getting it sooner than we think. According to the press release, production begins later this summer.

While there aren’t any details about the actual plot, we’re bound to get another hour and a half of priceless Dowager Countess snark, gorgeous Edwardian gowns, and Crawley family drama. The screenplay is by creator Julian Fellowes (who’s also producing), the director is Brian Percival, who directed the pilot, and executive producer Nigel Marchant is coming back as well.

“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,” said producer Gareth Neame, Carnival Films’s executive chairman, in the press release. “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.”

It looks like the cast is just as hyped as the fans. Dockery, Bonneville, and Froggatt have all posted on Instagram about the news.

“The secret’s out… Thrilled to announce that #DowntonAbbey is coming to the big screen. Filming to commence this summer @downtonabbey_official,” Dockery posted on Instagram with a picture of her and costar Laura Carmichael, while Froggatt opted for a picture of her and Dockery laughing in character, writing, “Are you as excited as us about the Downton movie?! #itsofficial #downtonabbey.”

Meanwhile, Bonneville appeared to hint at a release date. Uploading a promotional pic for the film, he simply wrote, “2019 #DowntonAbbey.”