Will Maggie Smith Star In Downton Abbey 3?

Downton Abbey has seen six seasons and two movies – but the Crawleys aren’t done just yet. A third and final film is in the works, which star Hugh Bonneville says will be a ‘lasting tribute’ to the late Dame Maggie Smith, who played Violet Crawley throughout the series and its subsequent films.

Downton Abbey 3: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) (Ben Blackall / © 2021 Focus Features, LLC)

Rumours about a new Downton movie have been swirling for a long time now, but up until March 2024, nothing had been set in stone. However, Imelda Staunton confirmed the news in an interview on BBC Radio 2 in spring, prompted by host Zoe Ball who asked about speculations surrounding the third movie. Staunton responded: ‘There will be a final film – there you go.’ Ball responded by saying she hoped Staunton wasn’t going to get in trouble for the reveal, to which the actress replied: ‘I don’t care’.

What Will Happen In Downton Abbey 3?

The film (which is yet to receive a proper title) is expected to pick up where the previous movie – Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) – left off: at the end of the Roaring Twenties. We don’t know much more than that, but Bonneville has come out to call the franchise’s third film the ‘best one yet’.

‘For my character, I think the usual [can be expected], which is that he’s a sort of dinosaur trying to be led into the future reluctantly, and then eventually he stumbles forward a bit,’ the actor added. ‘So as always, there’s that rhythm of things changing with glacial slowness.

‘Robert [is] finally accepting that things [are changing],’ Bonneville adds. ‘It’s time to move the story on, so to speak. It’s got the usual tropes, if you like, of thrills and spills in a very Downton way, which means spilling a teacup pretty much!

‘I think there’s so much warmth and fun to enjoy, and new elements as well – which I won’t spoil – that I think it’ll certainly be the best iteration of the film versions yet,’ the star summarised.

Julian Fellowes’ beloved period drama began its life as a TV series for ITV back in 2010, running across numerous seasons until the finale aired in 2015. Set in the titular fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey, it follows the aristocratic Crawley family, with a star-studded cast that includes Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith and Michelle Dockery. A continuation of the series followed in 2019, this time in a film format with the same title, followed by a second film in 2022, Downton Abbey: A New Era.

Downton Abbey (2019) (Focus Features)

Will Maggie Smith Star?

Yes, Maggie Smith will star in Downton Abbey 3, returning to her role of Violet Crawley. Filming was completed before she sadly passed away in September 2024.

‘We finished a third – and I think probably final – Downton Abbey film this summer, which will come out next September,’ Bonneville, who plays Violet’s son, Robert, recently said on Virgin Radio UK. ‘That is a wonderful sort of closing off of all the stories, so it’s a proper film for the fans. It’s very much set in the house and saying goodbye to all these characters and we obviously say goodbye to Dame Maggie, which was very poignant on screen and now in real life. She’ll be sorely missed. But the final film will obviously be a great lasting tribute to her.

Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary, Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow, Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley & Allen Leech as Tom Branson in Downton Abbey (2019). (© Focus Features)

The Cast Of Downton Abbey 3

So who will be joining Maggie on screen? It’s rumoured that lots of cast favourites will be returning, including Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti, who previously featured in the TV series as Harold Levinson, the brother of the Countess of Grantham.

The full rumoured cast list is as follows:

• Samantha Bond as Lady Rosamund Painswick
• Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham
• Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, The Dowager Countess of Grantham
• Laura Carmichael as Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham
• Imelda Staunton as Maud, Lady Bagshaw
• Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson
• Dominic West as Guy Dexter
• Simon Russell Beale
• Arty Froushan
• Alessandro Nivola
• Joely Richardson

Jim Carter as Mr. Carson in Downton Abbey (2019). (© Focus Features)

Downton Abbey 3 Release Date

Downton Abbey 3 may not yet have a proper title, but it does have a release date: 12 September 2025. The film was shot earlier this year, returning to its home at Highclere Castle, between May and August.

Will There Be Downton Abbey Season 7?

There are also rumours of a seventh series, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Although, Fellowes hasn’t ruled it out: when asked about the possibility of another season during an interview on TalkRadio, he said: ‘I have said goodbye to Downton so many times, and I have written the last scene about six or seven times. Now I’ve got out of the habit of making permanent statements whether it’s gone.’

Ahead of the 2022 film release, Fellowes said the franchise had ‘become a sort of club’ for the cast. He told the Radio Times: ‘They say goodbye, everyone cries, and two years later we’re back at it. I think each time it’s goodbye, but whether it is or not, who knows?’

But, with Bonneville’s comments on this third and final film, we think Downton Abbey 3 could really be the last hurrah.

Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) (Ben Blackall / © 2021 Focus Features, LLC)

Where Can I Watch Downton Abbey?

In the UK, all six seasons of Downton Abbey are available to stream on ITVX Premium and Netflix. In the US, the TV series can be streamed on Amazon Prime, Peacock and BritBox.

As for the films, Downton Abbey is available to watch in the UK for free on ITVX or with a Netflix subscription; in the US, it is also available on Netflix. Downton Abbey: A New Era is available to rent from the likes of Prime Video, Apple TV and Sky Movies.