Is 'Downton Abbey' Returning to the Small Screen?
Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Countess of Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley
Welcome to Downton...again? A return to the Crawley home is reportedly in the works. According to the Daily Mail, the beloved drama series is “making a surprise comeback.”
Downton Abbey, created by Julian Fellowes, first came to an end in 2015—in the UK—after six seasons, and went on to spawn two films: 2019’s Downton Abbey and 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era.
A source told the Mail, "It was such a huge success before and there are so many more stories to be told, it seemed such a shame not to be able to make more of it but they've made it happen."
Fellowes has previously admitted on TalkRadio (via The Sun) that he has said goodbye to Downton "so many times" and has "written the last scene about six or seven times." He added, "Now I’ve got out of the habit of making permanent statements whether it's gone."
While a seventh season has not been officially confirmed, here is what is being reported about the new Downton Abbey series…
What is the release date for the new Downton Abbey series?
The Daily Mail reported in February 2024 that the rumored series "is expected to be on screen at the end of the year."
Related: Maggie Smith’s Top 20 Downton Abbey Quotes: ‘What Is a Weekend?’
Who is in the Downton Abbey cast?
The original series starred Maggie Smith—whose character Violet Crawley died in the second film—as well as Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley), Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith Crawley), Jim Carter (Charles Carson), Raquel Cassidy (Phyllis Baxter), Brendan Coyle (John Bates), Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley), Kevin Doyle (Joseph Molesley), Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bate), Michael Fox (Andrew Parker), Harry Hadden-Paton (Bertie Pelham), Robert James-Collier (Thomas Barrow), Allen Leech (Tom Branson), Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes), Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Crawley), Sophie McShera (Daisy Mason), Lesley Nicol (Mrs. Patmore), Douglas Reith (Lord Merton), Penelope Wilton (Isobel Crawley) and Matthew Goode (Henry Talbot).
Tuppence Middleton and Imelda Staunton joined the cast of Downton in the films.
According to the Daily Mail, "Bosses hoped to be able to bring back some of the big name actors such as Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Joanne Froggatt" for the reported series.
Related: 7 Questions For Downton Abbey Creator Julian Fellowes
What will happen in the new Downton Abbey series?
Fans will have to wait and see what's in store for the Crawleys and their staff should the series return, but it would certainly be a new era following the death of Violet Crawley in the second movie.
"Individual Crawleys come and go, but the family lives on," Cora said after her mother-in-law's passing. "Mama knew that and believed in it."
The last film in 2022 ended with the "Downton torch" being passed to Lady Mary, and Tom and Lucy visiting Downton Abbey with their baby and Sybbie. Mary also asked Carson if he would ever consider coming back as butler since Barrow was leaving.
How to watch Downton Abbey
Per the Daily Mail, it is understood that the new Downton Abbey series would be on ITV. The period drama originally aired on ITV in the UK and on PBS in the US. The first six seasons of Downton Abbey are currently available on Peacock, Prime Video and BritBox.
Next, Downton Abbey A to Z: An Obsessive Guide to the Show’s Secrets
