It's a summertime miracle! On Friday, July 13, the world learned (via a very to-the-point report from The Hollywood Reporter) that finally, after so much speculation, a Downton Abbey movie was green-lit. We never thought this day would come but it looks like we can officially get excited about the movie and finally start looking forward to some real closure from our favorite Downton characters.
During the wave of confirmation reports flooding the internet on Friday morning, the official Downton Abbey Twitter account posted a very on-brand confirmation of their own. "Welcome back to Downton! We’re thrilled to announce that #DowntonAbbey is coming to the big screen. Film production begins this summer," was captioned under a photo of a butler holding a card announcing the movie on a plate and in the distance, you can just make out the outline of Downton.
In addition to production beginning this summer with an eye towards getting it in theaters for Summer 2019, The Guardian reported that the original cast would be returning and the events of the film would likely be set shortly after the final TV season, which was set in 1926. The phrase "original cast" is enough to spark curiosity (even with plot details being kept under wraps) simply because you have to wonder if they mean we'll see characters like Matthew and Sybil in some fashion (even though they died early on in the series) or we'll simply see the original cast as it was assembled during the final season. Stay tuned for updates on that front.
Meanwhile, series producer Gareth Neame released the following excited statement upon the Downton film's confirmation: "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 [Fellowe]’s script charms, thrills and entertains, and in [director] Brian Percival’s hands we aim to deliver everything that one would hope for as Downton comes to the big screen."