Downton Abbey: A New Era gets a brand new release date

Virgin Radio

27 Jan 2022, 09:32

Credit: Universal Pictures UK

Credit: Universal Pictures UK

Period drama fans don’t have too long to wait now until the highly-anticipated Downton sequel hits the big screen. 

Universal Pictures announced that Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released on 29th April - a month after the previous release date. 

The movie was originally scheduled to come out over Christmas 2021, but ongoing issues with filming during the pandemic meant that date got pushed back to 18th March.

The new April release date might be disappointing to UK fans, but across the pond, the upcoming historical flick will come out on the even later date of 20th May, and will then be streamed on Peacock 45 days later. 

Announcing the news over social media, Universal Pictures UK wrote: “Away we go! #DowntonAbbey: A New Era will be setting sail a little later this year. The big-screen event is coming to UK cinemas on April 29th.

Downton Abbey: A New Era will bring back beloved cast members such as Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Michelle Dockery and Joanne Froggatt to name a few. 

New faces appearing for the sequel include Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock and Dominic West. 

This new Downton adventure will see the Crawley family head over to the French Riviera to visit the villa inherited by Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess of Grantham.

Creator and writer Julian Fellowes couldn’t help but dish some Downton gossip when he joined The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky earlier this week.

On the upcoming movie, Julian told Chris: “I’m pleased with the film. It’s a feelgood movie, but I don’t think there’s any harm in people feeling good just now. I think we’ve had a couple of rather tough years, and so I’m pleased to think that I’ll give people a jolly evening in the cinema.” 

He added: “People sometimes say, ‘What do you think of your legacy?’. I don’t need a legacy. I need the feeling that I’ve cheered a few people up.”

When Chris asked Julian how easily his art comes to him, the director responded: “Nothing comes to me easily, apart from lying flat on my back drinking a glass of champagne!”

Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released in cinemas on April 29, 2022.

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