As Time Out’s review of the first Downton Abbey movie put it: ‘Its sometimes nice just to watch a film that wants you to worry about the whereabouts of some vegetables.’ Good news for fans of low-stakes but high-comfort viewing, then, because another Downton movie is on its way in time for Christmas.
It’s called Downton Abbey 2 (rather than, say, Down2on Abbey or 2 Down 2 Ton), and it will reunite all the old favourites with a bunch of new faces. Look out for Laura Haddock, Hannibal’s Hugh Dancy, and Dominic West, no doubt playing someone roguish.
Also aboard is renowned French thesp Nathalie Baye, who we’d hazard, will be facing down Maggie Smith’s icy hauteur as the Dowager Countess with some proper Gallic froideur of her own as they verbally joust over cups of Earl Grey.
Or not – we have no idea. What is known is that the first movie made a motza and the appetite for another is likely to spell a happy Christmas for put-upon cinemas.
Julian Fellowes is again on screenwriting duties and Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn) will be taking over Michael Engler as director.
‘After a very challenging year with so many of us separated from family and friends, it is a huge comfort to think that better times are ahead and that next Christmas we will be reunited with the much beloved characters of Downton Abbey,’ says producer Gareth Neame.
The first spin-off film involved a Royal visit to the Crawleys’ ancestral pile and all manner of literal plate-spinning as the family and staff prepared for Her Maj’s visit. Read our review here.
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