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Tag: downton-abbey

Movie Review: ‘Fackham Hall’
(L to R): Thomasin McKenzie, Katherine Waterston, Damian Lewis and Tom Felton in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’ Photo: Bleecker Street.

In theaters on December 5 from Bleecker Street is ‘Fackham Hall,’ a new spoof in the ‘Airplane!’ style that has British period pieces such as ‘Downton Abbey’ firmly in its sights.
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The movie stars Thomasin McKenzie (‘Last Night in Soho’), Ben Radcliffe (‘Masters of the Air’), Tom Felton (‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’), Damian Lewis (‘Billions’) and Katherine Waterston (‘Inherent Vice’).

Related Article: Damian Lewis Talks ‘The Radleys’ and Looks Back at TV Series ‘Life’

Initial Thoughts

Jimmy Carr in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’ Photo: Bleecker Street.

In a year where ‘The Naked Gun’ brought spoof movies back to relevance with a swift, funny script, you might be happy to have another in the genre arrive. Unfortunately for fans of joke-laden parodies, ‘Fackham Hall’ turns out to be a grave disappointment.

Script and Direction

(L to R): Damian Lewis and Nathan McMullen in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’
Photo: Bleecker Street.

Written by comedian Jimmy Carr alongside brother Patrick Carr and colleagues Andrew Dawson, Steve Dawson and Tim Inman and based on an idea by the Carr siblings, ‘Fackham Hall’s script can best be described as “hit and miss” with an emphasis on “miss.”

True, there are one or two very funny jokes in the movie, and it generally moves along in amiable fashion, but so many other gags are either dull, trite or beaten into the ground. Or all three.

And when you end up stealing not one joke (a vicar stumbling over his words) but two (about a wedding guest replying that they’re not the bride or groom) from 31-year-old comedy classic ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral,’ there’s cause for concern.

Director Jim O’Hanlon, meanwhile, has worked on some great TV series, including ‘Catastrophe,’ ‘Inside No. 9’ and iconic spoof miniseries ‘A Touch of Cloth.’ But here, the script lets him down and try as he might to bring some comic momentum, the result is still only fitfully funny.

Cast and Performances

Ben Radcliffe in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’ Photo: Bleecker Street.

McKenzie and Radcliffe make for an appealing central pair, and they and the rest of the cast do what they can with what the screenplay has to offer. Katherine Waterston spends most of the movie looking like she’d rather be anywhere else, while the Damian Lewis throws himself wholeheartedly into the role of the dim Lord Davenport.

Final Thoughts

(L to R): Tom Felton and Thomasin McKenzie in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’ Photo: Bleecker Street.

‘Fackham Hall’ feels more of a piece with the lame ‘[insert-genre-here] Movie’ and other low-energy spoofs that showed up in the wake of ‘Scary Movie’s success post-‘Scream.’ There are laughs, but they’re few and far between.

‘Fackham Hall’ receives 60 out of 100.

(L to R): Tom Felton, Ramon Tikaram, Thomasin McKenzie, Damian Lewis, and Nathan McMullen in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’ Photo: Bleecker Street.

What’s the story of ‘Fackham Hall’?

New porter Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) forms a romantic bond with Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), youngest daughter of a well-known UK family. As the Davenport family, headed by Lord and Lady Davenport, deals with the epic disaster of the wedding of their eldest daughter to her caddish cousin, new schemes reveal themselves.

Who is in the cast of ‘Fackham Hall’?
- Ben Radcliffe as Eric Noone
- Thomasin McKenzie as Rose Davenport
- Damian Lewis as Lord Davenport
- Katherine Waterston as Lady Davenport
- Lizzie Hopley as Phyllis Davenport
- Emma Laird as Poppy Davenport
- Tom Felton as Archibald
- Jimmy Carr as Vicar
- Tom Goodman-Hill as Inspector Watt
(L to R): Sue Johnston, Katherine Waterston, Tim McMullan, Thomasin McKenzie, Nathan McMullen, Ben Radcliffe, Damian Lewis, and Emma Laird in Bleecker Street’s ‘Fackham Hall.’ Photo: Bleecker Street.

Movies Similar to ‘Fackham Hall’:
- ‘Young Frankenstein’ (1974)
- ‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ (1979)
- ‘Airplane!’ (1980)
- ‘Spaceballs’ (1987)
- ‘The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!’ (1988)
- ‘Hot Shots!’ (1991)
- ‘Scary Movie’ (2000)
- ‘Not Another Teen Movie’ (2001)
- ‘Johnny English’ (2003)
- ‘My Big Fat Independent Movie’ (2005)
- ‘Superhero Movie’ (2008)
- ‘Fifty Shades of Black’ (2016)
- ‘Holmes & Watson’ (2018)
- ‘The Naked Gun’ (2025)
Buy Tickets: ‘Fackham Hall’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Damian Lewis Movies and TV on Amazon
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December 14, 2025
‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ Cast Interview
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Opening in theaters on September 12th is the third and final movie in the ‘Downton Abbey’ franchise entitled ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale‘, which was directed by Simon Curtis (‘My Week with Marilyn’).
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The film stars Hugh Bonneville (‘Paddington’), Michelle Dockery (‘The Gentlemen’), Elizabeth McGovern (‘Ordinary People’), Allen Leech (‘Bohemian Rhapsody’), Kevin Doyle (‘Good’), Dominic West (‘The Wire’), Alessandro Nivola (‘Kraven the Hunter’), Joely Richardson (‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’), and Paul Giamatti (‘The Holdovers’).

(L to R) Hugh Bonneville, Allen Leech, and Kevin Doyle star in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Hugh Bonneville. Allen Leech and Kevin Doyle about their work on ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, Bonneville’s first reaction to the final screenplay, ending the franchise, what the series has meant to Leech personally, how Doyle’s character has changed since the last film, and the genius of series creator Julian Fellowes.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

Related Article: Beloved Acting Icon And Oscar Winner Dame Maggie Smith has Died Aged 89

Hugh Bonneville stars as Robert Grantham in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features LLC.

Moviefone: To begin with, Hugh, what was your first reaction to reading the final screenplay and was it bittersweet making this movie knowing that it would be the last time you would play this character?

Hugh Bonneville: Well, we always knew that this was going to be the third and final film. The script went through many changes during its development. Julian was batting it back and forth, and the final iteration seemed the appropriate one. Where there are so many farewells within the story, so many elements of regime change, if you like, both upstairs and down, with the changing of the guard. It just felt like a good farewell to our audience who have been the real driving force in sustaining us for so long.

Allen Leech stars as Tom Branson in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features LLC.

MF: Allen, as an actor, what has it meant to you personally to work with this cast and to be a part of this franchise?

Allen Leach: It’s been an absolute joy and a pleasure to be part of it, and something I don’t think any of us have expected. Certainly, for myself and Kevin, with our roles, we were only hired for a couple of episodes. So, it’s very surreal after fifteen years and the whole six seasons and three movies, to be here talking to you about this final part of it. It really has been such an incredibly important part of my life and I’m very grateful to Julian for including an Irish character first off, and then also not killing him off in the first couple of seasons. So, it’s been wonderful and it’s something I will miss terribly and that’s only really hitting home now as we do these last couple of days of the press tour that I won’t get to annoy Hugh as much as I normally would or Kevin.

(L to R) Kevin Doyle stars as Mr. Molesley and Michael Fox as Andy Parker in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features LLC.

MF: Kevin, can you talk about how your character has changed since the last movie and where we find him when this movie begins?

Kevin Doyle: Well, he’s got a lot wealthier. He’s got a nice house, he’s got a lovely car, he’s got a beautiful wife. Yet, dot, dot, dot, there’s a lot of anxiety, there’s a lot of pressure on him to get these scripts out. He’s a bit of a perfectionist, and nothing has ever quite right for him, and so there’s a lot of self-imposed pressure, and he’s finding it difficult to live with.

(L to R) Producer Liz Trubridge, director Simon Curtis and writer/creator/producer Julian Fellowes on the set of ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features LLC.

MF: Hugh, can you talk about the genius of Julian Fellows and this incredible international phenomenon that he has created?

HB: Well, Julian, as an actor by his initial trade, has a good ear for dialogue, clearly. I can remember reading the very first script and finding all these characters so vivid. They really sprung into my mind’s eye, and I could see each of them well, before they were cast, and so that doesn’t always happen. Often, you can find the characters are interchangeable in a script, but these all had their own voice, and the narrative had such forward momentum that, like everyone who then came to watch the show, I wanted to know what happened next. So, I think that is what is part of the genius of Julian. Not only does he write great lines, but he inhabits these characters. He really cares about them, each of them, and they are complex and three dimensional. But they all come from a place of inherent goodness or a generosity of spirit, and I think that’s been the underlying tone of the show, that there is a warmth about it. It is a world of fiction. I mean, some UK journalists used to get a bit uppity that it wasn’t a documentary and wasn’t correct about the social injustices of the aristocracy. But nevertheless, millions of people have enjoyed visiting this fictional world and taking part in its stories and that they’ve been universal stories. So that’s what Julian’s knack has been to create a fast-paced narrative, but with characters with whom you want to spend time.

(L to R) Allen Leech stars as Tom Branson, Dominic West as Guy Dexter and Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features LLC.

MF: Finally, Kevin, what has your experience been like working with Julian on this franchise?

KD: In terms of Julian’s craft, it’s astonishing that he’s been able to sustain twenty odd characters for this length of time, and quite honestly, to keep all those actors happy as well with good storylines and within this one movie, he’s had to wrap it up. Well, not so much wrap up, but he’s had to suggest an ongoing life for twenty odd characters, which is an extraordinary achievement, I think.

(L to R) Laura Carmichael stars as Lady Edith, Harry Hadden-Paton as Bertie Hexham, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Grantham, Hugh Bonneville stars as Robert Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary in ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features LLC.

What is the plot of ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’?

The film follows the Crawley family and the Downton Abbey staff as they enter the 1930s. When Mary (Michelle Dockery) finds herself at the center of a public scandal caused by her divorce and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepare for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.

Who is in the cast of ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’?
- Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley
- Laura Carmichael as Edith Pelham
- Jim Carter as Charles “Charlie” Carson
- Raquel Cassidy as Phyllis Baxter
- Paul Copley as Albert Mason
- Brendan Coyle as John Bates
- Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley
- Kevin Doyle as Joseph Molesley
- Michael Fox as Andrew “Andy” Parker
- Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates
- Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson
- Harry Hadden-Paton as Herbert “Bertie” Pelham
- Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow
- Allen Leech as Tom Branson
- Phyllis Logan as Elsie Hughes
- Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley
- Sophie McShera as Daisy Parker
- Lesley Nicol as Beryl Patmore
- Douglas Reith as Richard “Dickie” Grey
- Dominic West as Guy Dexter
- Penelope Wilton as Isobel Grey
- Simon Russell Beale as Sir Hector Moreland
- Arty Froushan as Noël Coward
- Alessandro Nivola as Gus Sambrook
- Joely Richardson as Lady Petersfield
‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ opens in theaters on September 12th.

List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Downton Abbey’ Franchise:
- ‘Downton Abbey‘ (2010-2015)
- ‘Downton Abbey‘ (2019)
- ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era‘ (2022)
- ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale‘ (2025)
Buy ‘Downton Abbey’ Movies On Amazon
September 10, 2025
Actor Dame Maggie Smith Dies Aged 89
Maggie Smith in 2019’s ‘Downton Abbey’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Preview:
- Actor Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89.
- She earned a swathe of fans from different generations thanks to her varied career.
- She’ll be best remembered in recent times for her roles in ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Harry Potter.’
Dame Maggie Smith, one of the best actors of her or any other generation, and whose career spanned decades, genres and mediums, has died. She was 89.

With two Oscars, three Emmys, three Golden Globes, five SAG Awards, four BAFTA awards and a Tony to her name, Smith became synonymous with imperious authority figures later in her career –– though never losing the mischievous twinkle in her eye –– and was a much-admired figure both in the acting community and across the world. At the height of her powers, she could steal scenes from nearly anyone, dominating any stage or screen she appeared on.

As often in her roles, Smith could be famously blunt in real life, but always tempered herself with grace and humor.

This is how she described her attitude to British newspaper The Guardian:

“Every time I start anything, I think, ‘This time I’m going to be like Jude [Dench], and it will all be lovely, it will be merry and bright,’ the Quaker will come out in me. It’s gone too far now to take back. If I suddenly came on like Pollyanna, it wouldn’t work — it would frighten people more if I were nice. They’d be paralyzed with fear. And wonder what I was up to.” Despite that belief, she was absolutely beloved by audiences.

Related Article: Legendary Actor James Earl Jones has Passed Away at the Age of 93

Dame Maggie Smith: Early Life and Career

Maggie Smith in ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Margaret Smith was born in Ilford, Essex in 1934, and attended the Oxford School for Girls before studying theater at the Oxford Playhouse School. As a teenager, she began treading the boards, building her name as an accomplished classical actor even at that young age, appearing alongside the likes of Laurence Olivier.

Her work saw her travel to London’s West End with the revue ‘On the Fringe,’ where American producer Leonard Sillman saw her and asked her to join the Broadway variety show ‘New Faces of 1956’ (she was the only British actor in the cast). She would go on to a hugely successful theatre career that would encompass the likes of 1990 comedy ‘Lettice and Lovage,’ for which she won her Tony.

In 1990, she was named Dame Commander of the British Empire, one of only a handful of her generation, including Judi Dench and Diana Rigg, to be so honored.

Dame Maggie Smith: Film Work

Maggie Smith in ‘The Lady in the Van’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

To say Smith’s film career was eclectic is the redefine the word. Some of her earlier roles were adapted from stage work she had done –– such as 1969’s ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’, which scored Smith her first Oscar. A second would follow for 1978’s ‘California Suite.’

She was adept at both drama and comedy, and often able to blend them. Other memorable roles included ‘Hook,’ the two ‘Sister Act’ movies, ‘Murder by Death,’ ‘The Lady in the Van,’ ‘Death on the Nile,’ ‘Evil Under the Sun,’ ‘The Missionary,’ ‘A Private Function,’ ‘Gosford Park,’ ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’ ‘Othello’ and many more.

To an entire generation of fans who grew up with the books and the movies, though, she’s forever cemented as the occasionally haughty but always sympathetic Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Hogwarts School’s stern yet fearless transfiguration teacher (and head of Gryffindor house) in the ‘Harry Potter‘ movies.
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Dame Maggie Smith: TV Work

(L to R) Michelle Dockery and Maggie Smith in ‘Downton Abbey’. Photo: ITV.

If beyond ‘Potter’ there is surely one focal point for Smith’s career in the last decade or so, it is ‘Downton Abbey,’ where she played the endlessly quotable Violet Crawley, the dowager countess. The series itself ran for five years and then spawned two films.

It changed the course of her life, making her hugely recognizable after a successful career that had previously allowed her to walk unbothered through public streets.

Here’s what she told interviewer Mark Lawson at the BFI/Radio Times festival in 2017:

“It’s ridiculous. I’d led a perfectly normal life until ‘Downton Abbey.’ Nobody knew who the hell I was!”
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Dame Maggie Smith: Friends, Family and Colleagues Pay Tribute

(L to R) Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith in ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Smith was married to Robert Stephens between 1967 and 1974. She later wed Beverley Cross in 1975 and remained his wife until his death in 1998. Her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin both followed her into the acting profession.

Smith’s death was announced by her sons:

“It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days. We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

Hugh Bonneville, her ‘Downton Abbey’ co-star, paid his own tribute:

“Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”

And Whoopi Goldberg, who shared the screen with Smith in the ‘Sister Act’ movies, shared her own memory via Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WhoopiGoldberg (@whoopigoldberg)

Maggie Smith in ‘Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

List of Maggie Smith Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘Othello‘ (1965)
- ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie‘ (1969)
- ‘Murder by Death‘ (1976)
- ‘Death on the Nile‘ (1978)
- ‘California Suite‘ (1978)
- ‘Clash of the Titans‘ (1981)
- ‘Evil Under the Sun‘ (1982)
- ‘The Missionary‘ (1982)
- ‘A Private Function‘ (1985)
- ‘A Room with a View‘ (1986)
- ‘Hook‘ (1991)
- ‘Sister Act‘ (1992)
- ‘The Secret Garden‘ (1993)
- ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit‘ (1993)
- ‘The First Wives Club‘ (1996)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone‘ (2001)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets‘ (2002)
- ‘Gosford Park‘ (2002)
- ‘Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood‘ (2002)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban‘ (2004)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire‘ (2005)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix‘ (2007)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince‘ (2009)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1‘ (2010)
- ‘Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang‘ (2010)
- ‘Downton Abbey‘ (2010 – 2015)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2‘ (2011)
- ‘Gnomeo & Juliet‘ (2011)
- ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel‘ (2012)
- ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel‘ (2015)
- ‘The Lady in the Van‘ (2016)
- ‘Sherlock Gnomes‘ (2018)
- ‘Downton Abbey‘ (2019)
- ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era‘ (2022)
Buy Maggie Smith Movies On Amazon
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September 27, 2024
‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Trailer Welcomes the King and Queen

Focus Features

Your majesties, welcome to “Downton Abbey.”

The trailer for the follow-up movie to the Emmy-winning series is here, chock full of earls, countesses, marquesses, barons, and the aforementioned King George V and Queen Mary.

Picking up in 1927, the house is all aflutter when Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern), and daughter Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) receive a visit from the royals, which includes a two lavish meals and a parade.

But there’s equal focus on the activity downstairs, with retired butler Carson (Jim Carter) stepping in to help Downton shine.

The trailer also hints at some big changes in the air, with Mary discussing possibly leaving Downton with maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt). There’s also intrigue: gay butler Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier) seems to have a new love interest, finally! And as ever, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) is there to deliver her signature witty opinions on it all.

“Downton Abbey” the movie opens in theaters September 20.

May 21, 2019
Four New ‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Posters Are an Upstairs and Downstairs Treat

PBS

We’ve been expecting you!

The “Downton Abbey” movie rolled out four new posters welcoming fans back to the elegance, opulence, and grace fans got in the six seasons of the Masterpiece series.

As we learned from the teaser trailer, the movie brings back all the stars of the show, including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Laura Carmichael, Allen Leech, and Elizabeth McGovern. The movie opens September 20.

Very little is known about the plot. Executive producer Gareth Neame told Entertainment Weekly, “We had to do everything that all the fans wanted, but we had to do something that was fresh and original. We wanted a kind of storyline and sense of scale and production value that exceeded even the very high production values the TV show was remembered for. On the big screen, it just had to look a little bit more lavish and a little bit bigger and better.”

The posters reflect the upstairs/downstairs split: Two of them show Dockery’s Lady Mary putting on a gorgeous jeweled earring and Carmichael’s Lady Edith (now Lady Hexham) sporting a stunning beaded necklace.

The two posters show a male servant, possibly Rob James-Collier’s Thomas Barrow polishing a crystal glass and holding a silver fork:

March 27, 2019
The First ‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Teaser Trailer Is Here

PBS

Upstairs and downstairs are coming to the big screen: The first teaser trailer for the “Downton Abbey” movie is here.

The teaser provides glimpses at the exquisite interiors and stunning exteriors of the titular grand home (actually Highclere Castle in real life). The movie continues the storyline of the award-winning series, which ran for six seasons until 2015.

None of the stars are featured in the trailer, though we know that almost everyone is returning, including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, and Elizabeth McGovern.

Very little is known about the plot. Executive producer Gareth Neame told Entertainment Weekly, “We had to do everything that all the fans wanted, but we had to do something that was fresh and original. We wanted a kind of storyline and sense of scale and production value that exceeded even the very high production values the TV show was remembered for. On the big screen, it just had to look a little bit more lavish and a little bit bigger and better.”

“Downton Abbey” opens in theaters September 20, 2019.

December 14, 2018
‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Set For Fall 2019 Release

PBS

“Downton Abbey” is opening its doors again next fall.

Focus Features announced the release date for the “Downton Abbey” movie: Sept. 21, 2019.

The Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning show ran for six seasons and was set between 1912 and 1926. It followed the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants.

Most of the cast members from the acclaimed British drama, which aired on PBS’ Masterpiece Theatre in the U.S., are returning, including: Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith.

Joining them are new cast members Imelda Staunton, Geraldine James, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Kate Phillips and Stephen Campbell Moore.

Michael Engler is directing from a script by series creator Julian Fellowes.

Not much is known about the plot. The series ended happily, with both Lady Mary (Dockery) and Lady Edith (Carmichael) having found love with new husbands. Downstairs, the house was undergoing a graceful transition, with venerable butler Carson (Carter) giving way to Barrow (Robert James-Collier).

September 19, 2018
‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Starts Filming, Now Serving a ‘Harry Potter’ Reunion

PBS

Hem hem. Perhaps Maggie Smith can offer Imelda Staunton a cough drop during the “Downton Abbey” movie.

The “Downton Abbey” movie — just announced to exist in July — has officially started production, adding some new faces to the beloved team. Principal photography will reportedly begin Monday, September 10 in the U.K.

Newcomers include Geraldine James, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Kate Phillips, Stephen Campbell Moore, and Imelda Staunton.

So silly of me but it *sounds* like Dolores Umbridge (Staunton) and Minerva McGonagall (Smith) should have another “Harry Potter” face-off:

Also, did you know: Imelda Staunton is married to Jim Carter, who plays Mr. Carson? Does Mrs. Hughes know? #SmallWorld

PBS

Stars confirmed to return include — but are not limited to — Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley), Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Crawley), Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Talbot), Laura Carmichael (Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham), Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), Allen Leech (Tom Branson), and of course Maggie Smith (Violet Crawley).

#DowntonAbbey . The Movie. The Readthrough. This morning . As if we never stopped! @mich_actually @Allenleech @hughbon …and the rest!

— Elizabeth McGovern 🇺🇦 (@ElizabethMcGov) September 3, 2018

There’s no premiere date yet for the film, but we’re definitely looking forward to seeing what’s next for the Crawleys.

[Via: TV Guide, ScreenRant]

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September 5, 2018
‘Downton Abbey’ Alum Dan Stevens Sparks Talk of Matthew’s Return for the Movie

ITV / PBS

Dan Stevens broke our hearts when he left “Downton Abbey” after Season 3, and now he might be toying with them.

The actor got fans all stirred up with an Instagram post on Sunday — and understandably so. The image he shared is of him with his former “Downton” co-stars Michelle Dockery and Allen Leech. Not only that, he captioned it, “Should Matthew have a mustache for the #DowntonAbbeyMovie…? Vote below…”

View this post on Instagram

Should Matthew have a mustache for the #DowntonAbbeyMovie…? Vote below… ☑️ ❎

A post shared by Dan Stevens (@thatdanstevens) on Aug 12, 2018 at 10:30am PDT

The idea of Stevens coming back is pretty wild considering that his character, Matthew Crawley, died in a car accident and “Downton Abbey” isn’t the kind of show that resurrects deceased characters. Fans let him know it, too. Although some responded with enthusiasm, there was a lot of skepticism in the post’s comments. One person even wrote, “with all the love and kindness in [their] heart,” that Matthew should “STAY DEAD.”

It is, however, possible that “Downton” creator Julian Fellowes could find a graceful way to include Stevens without the story going off the rails (or the road — RIP, Matthew). There could be a flashback, or maybe even a dream sequence. Done well, it would be a nice chance to see the whole cast together once again.

So far, we don’t know whether Stevens was serious or just having fun while hanging out with his former colleagues. The specifics of the cast and plot have remained a mystery since the official “Downton Abbey” movie announcement came last month.

Production on the film begins this summer.

[h/t: The Wrap]

August 13, 2018
It’s Official: ‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Starts Filming This Summer With Original Cast

PBS

Huzzah!

There has been a “Downton Abbey” movie in the works since the series finished airing in the U.S. in early 2016. Creator Julian Fellowes was just working on the script, with producers trying to find a way to get the busy and sought-after cast together.

Well, it’s happening. According to Deadline, production begins this summer with the original principal cast — including the irreplaceable Maggie Smith. Not every recurring character will return, Deadline warned, but Highclere Castle will return as the Crawley family headquarters.

The show itself has invited you to attend the eventual screening:

Welcome back to Downton! We’re thrilled to announce that #DowntonAbbey is coming to the big screen. Film production begins this summer. pic.twitter.com/3scMUmosic

— Downton Abbey (@DowntonAbbey) July 13, 2018

Brian Percival directed the series’ pilot and he will also direct the film.

Here’s a statement from Gareth Neame, Carnival’s Executive Chairman and the film’s producer:

“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. 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.”

Fans are thrilled, of course:

https://twitter.com/emilyfleetham/status/1017756487890939911

Cast members are excited too:

https://twitter.com/JoFroggatt/status/1017759318270234624

So go find yourself a tux or corset to squeeze into and stay tuned for the movie premiere date.

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July 13, 2018