What if Downton Abbey had a few more surprises in store...? Just when we thought we'd said our final goodbyes to the Crawley family and their staff in 2015 (but especially after two films, the last of which was released in 2022), they're back in action in a third film! A new film announced (or at least leaked) by actress Imelda Staunton(Lady Bagshaw in the series) on BBC Radio 2:"There's going to be one last film and that's it!" she declared on March 20.
Downton Abbey III: The Grand Finale will be shown in cinemas from September 10, 2025.
A first trailer has been released by the production, announcing the return of the famous mansion in a context of social and historical transformation at the dawn of the 1930s.
This information was confirmed by the production itself, in a tweet published on May 13, 2024.
A real coup for aficionados of the series, who had been content with two films to prolong the pleasure. And we even know the release date! According to a tweet from the series' official account, the third film will be released in cinemas worldwide on September 12, 2025, and in France on September 10, 2025.
Directed by Simon Curtis (already at the helm of the second film), Downton Abbey 3: The Grand Finale will reunite many of the series' historic figures. The cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael and Imelda Staunton, alongside new faces such as Simon Russell Beale. The story takes us back to the dawn of the 1930s, when the Crawley family and their employees must adapt to a changing world. Between hopes, changes and challenges, the film promises to be the long-awaited conclusion to an emblematic saga.
Synopsis: The long-awaited return to the silver screen of the worldwide phenomenon takes us back to the world of the Crawley family and their staff at the dawn of the 1930s. As everyone tries to bring Downton Abbey up to date with the times, a new era dawns, full of challenges, questions and hopes.
As to what exactly the film will be about, few details have leaked, but all indications are that it will be a definitive conclusion. Nevertheless, according to series creator Julian Fellowes, the Downton Abbey universe could live on through possible spin-offs. "Nothing is ever definitive. There could be a spin-off with some of the younger characters," he confided to the Daily Mail in January 2024.
A return that could not only delight fans of the series, but also attract a younger audience, curious to discover the new intrigues that will unfold within the prestigious mansion. Now all we have to do is wait for the theatrical release!
Review of Downton Abbey - The Grand Finale:
So, what's the value of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale? The film breaks the curse of the third installment by offering a film in the same vein as the first two, but managing to remain consistently excellent, as much in its storytelling as in its direction or the acting, which is always in tune.
As far as the cast is concerned, it's still a pleasure to meet up with the actors from the series and the first two films, and the chemistry works just as well as ever. Special mention must go to the character of Edith (Laura Carmichael), who finally gets the role she deserves as a strong, influential woman who comes to the aid of her family members at the right time, in keeping with British etiquette. There's also a fine tribute to Maggie Smith, who passed away several months ago.
As for the story, the film offers a conclusion that lives up to expectations, with a narrative that manages to stand out from the series and the other films, proposing themes that are innovative, but taboo for the era depicted, and still relevant today. It's well done without overdoing it... British propriety, in short.
The photography is as polished as ever, and we love it! There's plenty of humor, too, delivered at just the right moment, without ever lapsing into slapstick (remember that the film is not a comedy).
All in all, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a very pleasant film, without any false notes, and lives up to the conclusion we were expecting. A must-see without the slightest hesitation!
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