The follow-up has been delayed until next year.
The upcoming sequel to the Downton Abbey movie finally has an official title and poster, while the first footage from the film has been screened for attendees at CinemaCon.
Downton Abbey: A New Era will pick up the story where it left off in 2019’s first film spin-off, with many familiar faces returning including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Elizabeth McGovern.
Plot details for the film are scarce at the time of writing, but a brief teaser that is yet to be released online hinted towards a wedding set to take place imminently, stopping short of revealing the bride and groom.
The footage was exhibited at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, an industry event for cinema owners to get a sneak peek at what’s coming down the pipeline over the next few months.
That will prove particularly helpful this year as the cinema industry continues to be severely hampered by the coronavirus pandemic, with several major blockbusters performing far below expectations.
That is likely to be the reason why Downton Abbey: A New Era has been hit with a delay, moving approximately three months from its original release date this Christmas to Friday 18th March 2022.
The news was confirmed on Downton Abbey’s official Twitter page, along with a teaser poster showing off the newly announced title. See below.
A new era begins. The entire Downton cast is back for #DowntonAbbey: A New Era, with Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West joining. See the film only in theaters March 18, 2022. pic.twitter.com/7w42WOMTl0
— Downton Abbey (@DowntonAbbey) August 26, 2021
Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has returned to pen the script to this latest instalment, adding Hugh Dancy (Hannibal), Laura Haddock (White Lines), Nathalie Baye (Criminal: France) and Dominic West (The Crown) to the cast in undisclosed roles.
There’s no word yet on whether the franchise will continue beyond A New Era, but no doubt that intriguing subtitle will have some fans wondering if this is just the beginning for the period drama.
There’s certainly appetite for more, with the first Downton Abbey movie grossing just shy of $200 million at the global box office, making it a major success story for Universal Studios.
Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released on Friday 18th March 2022. Check out more of our Movie coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.