Highclere Castle. Photo: Bill Young

Finally, two years after the original movie and five years after the television drama ended its six-season run on PBS, charter members of the Downton Abbey Separation Anxiety can rest easy knowing that Downton Abbey: A New Era will hit theatres on March 18, 2022.

While the first film centered around a Royal Visit to the Crawley family and Downton staff from King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James), Downton Abbey: A New Era takes place after the events of the first movie with the Crawleys seemingly taking the South of France by storm prompting Mr. Carson’s to quip, “They should be warned, the British is coming.”

Harry Hadden-Paton stars as Bertie Pelham, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Smith and Allen Leech as Tom Branson in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Photo: Focus Features

In true Downton Abbey series creator/writer Sir Julian Fellowes fashion, little is known at this point about the storyline other than it appears there is a wedding in Tom Branson’s future and includes a ‘French connection’ mic-drop confession from Dame Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess.

“Years ago, before you were born, I met a man,” the countess says. “And now, I’ve come into the possession of a villa in the South of France.” A stunned Lady Mary Crawley exclaims, “What?” And in true the Dowager Countess cheekily dismisses herself in dramatic fashion: “And with that, I will say goodnight and leave you to discuss my mysterious past.”

Dame Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery and Hugh Bonneville in Downton Abbey: A New Era. Photo: Focus Features

The newest effort will once again bring together the original cast of inhabitants above and below the stairs at Downton (and their friends) including Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Robert James-Collier, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera, Tuppence Middleton, Harry Hadden-Paton, Lesley Nicol, Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton.  New additions to the ensemble include Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, Dominic West and Jonathan Zaccaï.

With 69 Emmy nominations and 15 wins, including three supporting actress trophies for Dame Maggie Smith and one for outstanding miniseries or movie in their collective hip pocket, Downton Abbey: A New Era lands in theatres on March 18, 2022!