Downton Abbey is officially getting a movie.
Following rumors, the show has confirmed that a Downton Abbey movie is definitely on its way. The period drama last aired in 2015 and rumors of a spin-off movie have been circulating since 2016.
The announcement appeared on the show’s official Facebook and Twitter account and read:
“Welcome back to Downton! We’re thrilled to announce that Downton Abbey is coming to the big screen. Film production begins this summer.”
Welcome back to Downton! We’re thrilled to announce that #DowntonAbbey is coming to the big screen. Film production begins this summer. pic.twitter.com/3scMUmosic
— Downton Abbey (@DowntonAbbey) July 13, 2018
It has previously been rumored that Maggie Smith has signed on to star in the upcoming film and the producer said that the “original principal cast” would definitely be involved. Funnily enough, Smith expressed last year that she wasn’t too keen on the idea. At the BFI and Radio Times Festival 2017 she said:
“I just think it’s squeezing it dry, do you know what I mean? I don’t know what it could possibly be.”
She also added that the show has made living a normal life difficult: “I led a perfectly normal life until Downton Abbey. I’m not kidding. I’d go to theatres, I’d go to galleries, things like that on my own. And now I can’t and that’s awful. The Fulham Road’s dodgy!”
The successful TV series received a Bafta tribute in 2015 and has won three Golden Globes, 15 Primetime Emmy Awards and 69 Emmy nominations.
The movie is expected to go into production at the end of summer.
