From award-winning creator Julian Fellowes comes the motion picture event DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA. The much-anticipated cinematic return of the global phenomenon reunites the beloved cast as they go on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.

Once again Lord Julian Fellowes takes audiences back to Downton Abbey in the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 blockbuster event, Downton Abbey, with Downton Abbey: A New Era. And once more his masterful storytelling abilities are on full display. Lord Fellowes takes his audience on a tangent in Downton Abbey: A New Era and splits the narrative in two separate directions. While one half of the story stays within the confines of the splendid halls of Downton Abbey, which sees the arrival of a film company and its setting as the place of a major motion picture, the second sees a collection of the Crawley family hopping over the ditch to the south of France to receive possession of a  mysterious villa gifted to the Dowager Countess. From beginning to end mystery, intrigue, comedy and fun abound in Downton Abbey: A New Era and Lord Fellowes blends multiple story arcs between the narrative to tell a complete and compelling story that leaves his audience smiling with sincere joy.

All of your old favourites return for this much watch sequel, and just as in 2019’s Downton Abbey, all of the major characters each get their moment in the spotlight and have a key role to play in the events of this dramatic and expansive film. Key standouts from the cast include Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbott, who completely comes into her own in the film and is very much the mistress of Downton Abbey and who takes a keen stake in overseeing the film shoot that has come to its grounds. Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern again make a grand pair as Lord and Lady Grantham and their relationship sees a considerable test of faith not only in each other but also in the very history of Downton as well. And of course, the indomitable Dame Maggie Smith is once again an absolute treasure in her performance as Violet Crawley, The Dowager Countess and her quick wit and sharp mind is on full display in what is a defining moment for her character.

Alongside the return of The Crawley family and their servants, Downton Abbey: A New Era also introduces the audience to several new characters, who also make their mark on the audience. Arriving with his camera in hand as ambitious filmmaker Jack Barber is Hugh Dancy, and he’s a wonderful addition to the cast, who with his quick thinking and talented eye quickly makes an impression on Mary. And it’s incredibly juicy to watch the two of them together on-screen. Seasoned thespian Dominic West brings a dashing Clark Gable-esque quality to leading actor Guy Dexter who takes the lead in Barber’s latest film, The Gambler and he makes quite an impression on all at Downton. And finally stealing the show is Laura Haddock as Myrna Dalgleish, Barber’s leading lady and a woman of utterly radiant beauty who also happens to be an extreme Prima donna, and Haddock’s performance and presence livens things up quickly in the film’s proceedings.

Downton Abbey: A New Era is utterly flawless in its visual presentation, and once again this is a film that comes with all the trimmings. Grand locations, flawless costuming, and perfectly applied hair and make-up bring to life the glamour and grandeur of the late 1920s and there are plenty of visuals that are certain to marvel and sparkle in your eye. Of particular fun to the film is the expansion that is brought by the Crawley’s visit to the south of France and the summer getaway vibes of Art Nouveau styling of their new villa and the bright blue skies and yellow sun rays that bath them in warmth as they arrive. Both director Simon Curtis and cinematographer Andrew Dunn have a unique flair for getting everything out of the images that arrive on the big screen and the visual flair is utterly mesmerizing to look upon.

Many themes find their way into the narrative of Downton Abbey: A New Era, but the film’s central tenants of family and the passage of time make the biggest impression on the story. From 1912 through to 1929, we have watched the story of the Crawleys and those around them with wonder and glee and changing times, changing morals, and changing social strata all have been commented on in the past. This passing of time and the importance that it gives us as life’s most precious resource has a special relevance to the proceedings of this film, and there are moments in this film where tears are sure to flow.

Everything about Downton Abbey: A New Era comes together in perfect cohesion and the final result of this film is a grand piece of cinema that must be seen on the big screen to truly be appreciated. It’s a film that long time fans and those new to the series will cherish with enjoyment and it is utterly charming and delightful to watch at every moment.

Image: Universal Pictures

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In 1927, King George V and Queen Mary visit Downton Abbey, causing a stir among the Crawleys and servants alike.

The pomp, style and intrigue of one of the most beloved television series of all times returns in a very impressive big-screen adaptation and both returning fans and those new to the series will find plenty to love in this film. Once again the upstairs/downstairs lives of the Crawley family and those who attend them are captured here and it’s easy to get swept up in the drama that follows in the wake of an impending royal visit.

Series creator Lord Julian Fellowes and director Michael Engler, both make a return to Downton Abbey once again, and here they craft an incredibly interesting piece of cinema that entertains on every level. This film is a massive undertaking with multiple characters, narratives, and an immense production that follows it, and Fellowes, Engler and their team craft a very impressive film.

Once again series creator Julian Fellowes crafts an incredibly interesting and dramatic film, and he balances multiple narratives both impacting the Crawley Family and their servants, and there is never a dull moment up on the screen. Focusing in on the intricacies of the British aristocracy and the pomp and ceremony on which their world is built, Fellowes builds both tension and drama at the highest and lowest levels. From high-level conspiracies and secrets to whether or not the silver has been polished. Every moment sparkles here and all of this intrigue grips you as an audience member and you’ll be very well entertained right up until the film’s ending.

As a television series, Downton Abbey was composed of moments of beautiful cinematography and this is carried over into the new film. Cinematographer Ben Smithard captures the drama with a perfect eye and the imagery here just gleams. The exterior shots of the Yorkshire county and of the manor house of Highclere Castle which serves as the setting for Downton Abbey glisten with incredible detail thanks to Smithard’s lens and these cinematic images will truly take your breath away. This imagery, combined with the sweeping score that fans have come to expect from the series, and which is carried through into the film here, builds out the emotion of Downton Abbey and audiences are sure to be entranced.

This gorgeous imagery of Downton Abbey is amplified by its incredible production and it’s marvellous in the way in which it is brought to life on screen. Capturing the height of fashion and elegance that is a cornerstone of the film’s 1927 setting, fans of the Jazz Age will be thrilled with this film which buzzes with the attractive fashions of costume designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins, which she pairs with alluring hair and make-up design, and an assortment of gorgeous jewellery pieces. All of this intricate production detail fashions a breathtaking portrait of another time and setting and there’s so much to love and admire.

The show’s original cast including Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Raquel Cassidy, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith make their return here and each has their shining moment up on screen. Such is Fellowes command of his narrative that he is easily able to highlight and focus in on each one of these characters lives and the meaning that they bring to this world.

Fans of the original series will delight in seeing their favourite characters return once more and there’s plenty to celebrate here. However, it’s the treasure that is Maggie Smith who once again returns as the quick-witted, sharp-tongued and always scheming Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham who steals every scene that she appears in and it’s easy to find delight whenever she is up on the big screen.

Downton Abbey was a piece of television that truly captured the very essence of another time and society and audiences reveled in its drama and attention to detail in its original six season run which led it to being a defining part of modern pop culture. All of that is revisited here in the Downton Abbey film, and returning fans will cherish every single moment of the film. Those who are new to the world of Downton Abbey can walk into it at ease  though, and can experience its amazing world of eclectic characters and their stories first hand. There’s something for everyone here, and Downton Abbey sparkles up on the big screen with incredible detail and the love of a cast and crew who have such passion for this material.

Captured with incredible grace and filled with magnificent imagery, beautiful costuming, riveting drama and plenty of heart, Downton Abbey is a film that you must-see on the big screen and you’ll surely be delighted by every single moment of it.

Image: Universal Pictures

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If praise is to be lauded over The Lady in the Van then it must be given to Dame Maggie Smith, who gives an extraordinarily eccentric performance as homeless drifter Ms. Shepard. Shepard has made her rounds at the Camden neighborhood that Bennett lives in, and eventually parks her van outside his home, before moving into his driveway. While her eccentricity makes her feral and grungy through the film, Smith eventually reveals a highly flawed, and deeply complex character whose life circumstances are due to a series of great tragedies. It’s this complex character reveal and Smith’s incredible reserve in these darker moments that cements her well rounded character portrayal of the ‘lady in the van’.

Joining Smith in The Lady in the Van is Alex Jennings in a split performance as celebrated playwright Alan Bennett.  In a unique creative decision, director Nicolas Hytner utilises Jennings as two people, the man and the writer, with both characters taking up the screen at the same time. These two unique voices allow two sets of reactions from Bennett who, as the writer, looks on with an inquisitive curiosity at the madness that consumes the life of his other real self. But as the film grows his inquisitiveness develops into a real empathy and care for this mad old lady, and the two form a genuine, if not-very-unique friendship.

The Lady in the Van is a heartfelt film about two eccentric individuals who find meaning and an eventual friendship with one another. Charming in every sense of the word, audiences simply cannot go away from this one without smiling.

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