‘Downton Abbey’ Returns As A Movie!
Hold onto your bonnets, we’re heading back to ‘Downton Abbey’, but this time on the big screen! According to Deadline, the long-mooted ‘Downton Abbey’ film has been greenlit, and will see Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville and the rest of the principal cast return to their characters from the hugely popular ITV tv series.
The film script comes from original creator Julian Fellowes, and will be directed by Brian Percival (‘The Book Thief’) who helmed the show’s pilot episode. Fellowes will exec produce along with Gareth Neame, Liz Trubridge and Nigel Marchant. Focus Features will produce with Carnival Films, and production starts this Summer.
“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,” commented producer Gareth Neame. “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.”
The original tv series followed the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants in the post-Edwardian era. The drama concluding after 6 seasons on ITV in 2015, but was a huge hit around the world, airing in at least 150 countries. During it’s run, the show earned more Emmy nominations than any international television series in the history of the awards. It was also nominated for multiple BAFTAs and won multiple Golden Globes, SAG, TCA and National Television Awards.
They have not given a release date for the ‘Downton Abbey’ movie, but if it’s filming this Summer, we would expect it to land in 2019/2020. We’ll let you know when we hear more.
