It’s official, two years after the first film was released, Downton Abbey is returning for a sequel. The hit film, which was a spin-off of the original ITV series, will be getting a follow-up.
Downton Abbey 2, titled Downton Abbey: A New Era, will see the original cast reprise their roles, alongside some new and exciting names including The Pursuit of Love‘s Dominic West and Guardians of the Galaxy Laura Haddock.
Here’s everything we know about the Downton Abbey sequel.
Do we have any teasers for Downton Abbey 2?
While we don’t have a trailer yet, our first look at A New Era was released on 10th November 2021, and gives fans a glimpse at what’s to come:
Who has been cast in Downton Abbey 2?
The first bit of good news is that the original principle cast is all set to reprise their roles in the sequel. So we can expect to see the Crawley family, Carson, and all the gang back together again. Joining them are some big and exciting new names, including West and Haddock, plus Hannibal‘s Hugh Dancy and Catch Me If You Can star Nathalie Baye.
Diehard fans will also be pleased to hear that series creator Julian Fellowes will be writing the film’s screenplay, with Simon Curtis (Goodbye Christopher Robin) directing.
What’s Downton Abbey 2 going to be about?
At the moment we don’t know a lot about the plot. The first film followed the dramatic royal visit from the King and Queen of England, so it’s possible that the second film could follow along with more royal involvement.
While Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski recently hinted in April 2021 that the film could be set at Christmas, the new release date – three months later than planned – suggests otherwise.
“There’s no place like home for the holidays, and we can’t imagine a better gift than getting to reunite with Julian, Gareth, and the entire Downton family in 2021 to bring the Crawley’s back home for their fans,” he told Variety.
When is Downton Abbey 2 being released?
The film reportedly began production earlier in April 2021, and while it was originally slated for release on December 22, 2021, that’s been pushed back. Now, Focus Pictures say Downton Abbey 2 will be released in the UK on Friday, March 18, 2022.
Via Cosmopolitan UK