Imelda Staunton has affirmed that a third installment of the Downton Abbey film series is underway, stating it will serve as the concluding chapter. The beloved Crawley family and their entourage were last portrayed on screen in 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era, fueling speculation about a potential third film.
Although neither production company Carnival Films nor creator Julian Fellowes have officially announced it, Staunton inadvertently disclosed during the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show with Zoe Ball that plans for a third film are in motion.
“There will be the final film – there you go,” said the actor, who plays Lady Bagshaw in the franchise.
When questioned about the potential repercussions of her revelation, Staunton remained unfazed, stating,
“I don’t care.”
Her casual response coincides with swirling rumors suggesting a comeback of Downton Abbey on television for a seventh season. As such, it’s uncertain whether audiences can anticipate a new series, another film, or neither.
Fellowes had previously broached the subject of the franchise’s future in an interview last year, expressing his reluctance to bid farewell entirely. Despite his efforts to craft a definitive conclusion on multiple occasions, he confessed to not being quite prepared to do so.
“I have said goodbye to Downton so many times, and I have written the last scene about six or seven times,” he explained last year on TalkRadio.
“Now, I’ve got out of the habit of making permanent statements about whether it’s gone.
“It just gives me a lot of pleasure that so many people enjoyed it, so to feel that you created a show that cheers people up and they had a good time with it, I love that.”
In addition to hinting at a third Downton Abbey film, Staunton also tantalized fans by confirming her return as Aunt Lucy in Paddington 3.
