‘Downton Abbey 2’: Cast, Release Date and More
The return to Downton is almost upon us. From the cast to the release date, here’s what we know about the highly-anticipated sequel, ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era.’
The doors at Downton aren’t closing just yet. Downton Abbey 2 is coming to theaters VERY soon. The beloved story about the Crawley family will continue in a brand-new sequel, officially titled Downton Abbey: A New Era. It comes over two and a half years after the first Downton Abbey movie which was a box office hit and earned over $194 million at the worldwide box office. The original film continued on from the hit TV series that ran for 6 seasons and won 15 Emmys and 3 Golden Globes.
Downton Abbey 2 was officially announced in April 2021 and filming began shortly after. The final official trailer, which can be seen below, was released on May 18, 2022, after the film’s release date changed several times. The hype is real for Downton Abbey: A New Era and fans cannot wait to see what happens next. So, here’s everything you need to know about the highly-anticipated sequel including the cast, release date, and more.
‘Downton Abbey 2’ Cast & Crew
Cast
Almost the full original principal cast will return for the second film, including Maggie Smith (Dowager Countess), Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley), Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith Crawley), Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley), Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), Jim Carter (Mr. Carson), Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Crawley), Allen Leech (Tom Branson), Brendan Coyle (John Bates), Raquel Cassidy (Phyllis Baxter), Kevin Doyle (Joseph Molesley), Michael Fox (Andy Parker), Robert James-Collier (Thomas Barrow), Harry Hadden-Paton (Bertie Pelham), Phyllis Logan (Elsie Carson), Sophie McShera (Daisy Parker), Tuppence Middleton (Lucy Branson), Lesley Nicol (Beryl Patmore), Douglas Reith as Lord Merton, Imelda Staunton as Lady Bagshaw, Penelope Wilton as Lady Merton, and Charlie Watson as Albert the Hall Boy.
In addition to the original cast, new cast members have joined the roster of the second film. The newcomers include Hugh Dancy as Jack Barber, Laura Haddock as Myrna Dalgeish, Nathalie Baye as Madame Montmirail, Jonathan Coy as George Murray, Samantha Bond as Lady Rosamund Painswick, Dominic West as Guy Dexter, Sue Johnston as Miss Denker, David Robb as Dr Richard Clarkson, Jonathan Zaccai as Marquis de Montmirail, and Alex Macqueen as Mr Stubbins. Matthew Goode is not returning as Henry Talbot.
Crew
Michael Engler is not returning to direct Downton Abbey: A New Era. Instead, Simon Curtis will take the reins as director. Downton Abbey creator and writer Julian Fellowes wrote the screenplay for the sequel. He’s also producing alongside Gareth Naeme and Liz Trubridge. The music is by John Lunn, the cinematography is by Andrew Dunn, and the editing is by Adam Recht. Downton Abbey: A New Era is being distributed in the U.S. by Focus Features and in the U.K. by Universal Pictures.
The creative team behind the sequel spoke about the film even before the first movie came out. “We’re working on what the story is, and when we might be able to make it. But it’s the same as the first time around: We have to try to get everyone back together again. And that was very challenging,” Neame told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019. “The challenge will be, is everyone available at the same time? Can we make deals with them? That will be the challenge.” Meanwhile, Julian said back in January 2020 that he was going to work on Downton Abbey 2 after working on his new show, The Gilded Age. “Give us a break, gov. Not until I’ve finished the scripts for The Gilded Age,” he said after his Winter TCA press tour session about a timeline for the sequel, according to Deadline.
Release Date & Where to Watch
Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released on May 20, 2022. The film was initially going to arrive in theaters on December 22, 2021, just in time for the holidays, but it was pushed back by three months. It was delayed again by another two months. The sequel will release in theaters and then be available to stream on Peacock in the U.S. starting July 4, exactly 45 days after its theatrical release.
Storyline
The first Downton Abbey movie followed a royal visit to the Crawley family and Downton staff from the King and Queen of England and ended with a ball fitting for the Royal Family. At the end of the first movie, the Dowager Countess confessed to Lady Mary that she’s dying. The Dowager went to London and learned she doesn’t have much longer to live. She named Mary her successor, and she made Mary realize that Downton’s legacy needs to remain intact in the years to come.
Focus Features released the sequel’s first trailer on November 15, 2021 which showed Dowager informing her family that she inherited a villa in the South of France. The subsequent Crawley family vacation involves luxury, romance, drama, and even secrets being revealed. “And with that I will say goodnight, and leave you to discuss my mysterious past,” the Dowager tells her loved ones in the trailer.
Production Trivia
Downton Abbey 2 was officially announced on April 19, 2021 by Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski. The sequel went into production the second full week of April 2021. “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 said in a statement. Filming was fairly unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to production beginning after vaccines were accessible and while COVID-19 cases were low. The cast and crew wrapped filming in the U.K. in the summer of 2021. That August, the film’s official title, Downton Abbey: A New Era, was announced.
The stars of the sequel all assembled for the red carpet premiere at Leicester Square in London on April 25, 2022. They had another premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City on May 15. As of now, it’s unconfirmed if another Downton Abbey sequel is in the works. Fingers crossed that it happens!