"The King and Queen are coming to Downton," and tickets are on sale now. In anticipation for the Downton Abbey movie hitting theaters this September, Focus Features released a sneak peak featurette to give us a glimpse at the upstairs and downstairs characters we remember.
The beloved British series, Downton Abbey, is coming to the big screen on September 20 for "A royal visit from the King and Queen of England" which will "unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance." Since the trailer was released two months ago, things on the Downton front have been quiet, but now fans can get a glimpse behind the scenes while listening to the familiar Downton melody.
The sneak peak is brief, but encapsulates what we can expect from the classy story that even Iron Man's Happy Hogan thinks is "elegant". The cast is thrilled to return to the estate. To Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), "The first day was surreal. We were all really giddy. We were like 'I can't believe we're here.'" It was a sentiment echoed by her cast-mates who said it gave them, "a sense of coming home," and was "incredible."
The film promises to give us a sense of what our 20 or so characters have been up to since the series left the air in 2016. The original show, which ran on PBS in the States, garnered both viewer and award attention. It pulled in 3 Golden Globes and 6 Prime Time Emmys throughout its 6 seasons and 52 episodes. The subtle dialogue and beautiful set-pieces created a worldwide phenomenon that ultimately led to its revival as a film.
Television director Michael Engler (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) will bring a script from Julian Fellowes to screen. Engler had directed a few episodes of the Downton series, while Fellowes was of course its creator. Fellowes, along with Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge will serve as producers. Focus Features and Carnival are behind the project.
The Countess of Grantham, Cora Crawley herself, Elizabeth McGovern promises "fantastic new actors" to Downton including David Haig and Imelda Staunton among others. The packed cast includes Hugh Bonneville as the Earl Robert Crawley, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, Jim Carter as Mr. Carson, Brendan Coyle as John Bates, Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora, Kevin Doyle as Molesley, Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates, Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes, Matthew Goode as Henry, Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow, Allen Leech as Tom, Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore, and Sophie McShera as Daisy. As well as Harry Hadden-Paton, Geraldine James, Simon Jones, Tuppence Middleton, Stephen Campbell Moore, Kate Phillips, Penelope Wilton, and of course Dame Maggie Smith.
Downton Abbey the motion picture premieres in theaters on September 20, and you can buy your tickets now! Learn more at Focus Feature's official site.
