‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ Trailer: The Crawleys Inherit a Villa, Plus a Few Headaches
Nothing in life is sure, except that “Downton Abbey: A New Era” will certainly be bringing more drama from our favorite British family.
The “Downton Abbey” sequel follows Julian Fellowes’ 2019 film and six seasons on BBC. While plot details have remained under wraps, we do spot the Crawleys visiting a new villa in the South of France, which Lady Violet (Maggie Smith) is said to have inherited. Fans are also expecting to learn more about Violet’s past in the latest installment.
Returning stars include Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, and Jim Carter.
Meanwhile, Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, and Dominic West make their “Downton” debuts as new characters.
Creator Fellowes previously described the sequel as following Lady Mary (Dockery) as she takes over the duties for Lady Violet following her illness. “We’re trying to mark the change — the fact that Crawleys of Downton are nearly in the 1930s, which is merely the beginning of the modern world,” Fellowes said.
The “Downton Abbey” series earned 69 Emmy nominations during its run and won 15, with Smith winning three acting awards and the show taking home Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, along with awards for hair, production design, music composition, directing, writing, cinematography, and costumes. The first film grossed over $193 million worldwide.
Fellowes wrote “A New Era,” with Simon Curtis directing. Gareth Neame, Liz Trubridge, and Fellowes are all producing.
IndieWire’s review of the first film called the story a “lavish fairytale fueled by nostalgia” and a farewell to certain characters. “Was the return to the Crawleys and their staff worth it? Yes, because the movie is an elaborately wrought labor of love that is everything that ‘Downton’ fans could want — short of another season — and every penny can be seen onscreen,” critic Hanh Nguyen wrote. “But more importantly it offers a happily ever after of sorts regarding the country estate’s fate. Without getting too gruesome, the movie offers the perfect way to close the doors on beloved characters before the actors age out of the roles or die off.”
“Downton Abbey: A New Era” was originally planned for a December 2021 theatrical release in December. The film is now opening in theaters May 20.
Check out the trailer below!
