Fans have been calling out for a Downton Abbey film ever since the last series ended at Christmas 2015.
But while rumours of an outing on the big screen continue to circulate, the show’s creator, Julian Fellowes, has revealed he has plans to bring it back to the small screen too.
But it won’t be the show as we know it, it’ll be a prequel with a whole new cast playing the familiar characters we know and love.
Speaking to The Sun, he said:
“I think it would be possible to do a prequel that was re-cast and do a sort of love story so you went right back and had the young cast arriving in the show as footmen and Mrs Patmore being a kitchen maid.
“It would work if you told everyone’s story from 30 years before. You could do that with a different cast.”
But could anyone play the Dowager Countess as well as Dame Maggie Smith? It’d be a tough act to follow.
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Downton was all smiles when it ended, with every character getting the send off viewers wanted. But with the series having moved on so much, could we really put ourselves back into stuffy Victorian times and warm to the characters once again?
Maybe a film is a better option – so we can see more into the future.
Speaking at the Hampstead Literary Festival at the weekend, Lord Fellowes also commented on the movie rumours.
“I hope there is going to be a film. I would like there to be a film.
“There are many factors, like all the actors in Downton, we made them famous.
“Now they have all gone off and they are doing films, theatre, or TV series so it will be quite difficult rounding them up.”
Jim Carter, who played Mr Carson on the show, told Susanna Reid and Ben Shepherd on Good Morning Britain in January:
“We haven’t seen a script, but there’s a willingness to do a film.”
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He’s been backed up by other stars including Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates) and Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith Crawley) who all say they’re up for it.
So what are they waiting for?!