Everyone thought the Downtown Abbey movie would never happen. But after endless rumors, the film was officially confirmed and has started production.
The upcoming British movie is being directed by Julian Fellowes, with Michael Engler penning the script. Last year when it was confirmed to hit the big screen, fans thought it would never happen, especially since it was having a hard time getting the cast back together.
In the words of Gareth Neame, the enthused producer of Downtown Abbey, it was their "dream" to give the millions of global fans a movie. Finally, after all "stars aligned," the highly anticipated film is about to enter production.
Apart from Neame, the film is being produced by Fellowes and Liz Trubridge. Ben Smithard, on the other hand, is responsible for the cinematography. Meanwhile, Focus Features is expected to distribute the move in the United Kingdom.
As expected, Downtown Abbey is first going to hit the big screen in the UK and would later find its way to the United States. The cast of the film is composed of stellar names in the industry. For starters, there is Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley), Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith Crawley), Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley), and Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Crowley).
It appears that the entire original cast is reuniting and returning to the big screen. Moreover, the ever-popular Maggie Smith is reprising her role as Violet Crawley, while Henry Talbot is going to be played by Matthew Goode.
Unfortunately, to the dismay of fans, Lily James will not be returning as Lady Rose MacClare. It is worth noting that her exclusion was not due to having no interest in being part of the upcoming movie. She clarified that it was due to conflicting schedules. "I'm so excited for it - I'm going to be front row," she said.
In a report from MSN, Downtown Abbey was supposed to be helmed by Brian Pervical, who was the man behind the show's original pilot before stepping aside. Instead, he will take up the role of an executive producer alongside the aforementioned names.
Now that filming is underway, it is interesting to see what it has in store for the fans. As of this writing, there is no trailer of the movie yet, though the production promises to release one very soon. Downtown Abbey is set for a September 13 release in the United Kingdom and will focus on the life of the Crawley family once again.
