The curtain is about to close on the long-running era of Downton Abbey, but not quite yet. Created by Julian Fellowes, the series ran for six seasons from 2010 to 2015, earning multiple awards in acting, writing, and directing categories, and propelled its main cast to international stardom.
Since then, two theatrical films were released to continue several storylines from both the aristocratic Crawley family, and owners of the iconic Downton Abbey residence, and the loyal people who have worked for them for years. The first film, Downton Abbey, was released in 2019, and its sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era, in 2022, to both critical and commercial success.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the third and final film in the franchise, is set to release on Sept. 12, 2025. While it is incredibly sad to bid adieu to these beloved characters after seeing their stories play out for over fifteen years, it is perhaps time to see how their journeys will come to an end, and let's also hope it's a happy one for everyone involved.
NBC has a Downton Abbey special ahead of the movie premiere
But before we see this last chapter, a primetime special will air on NBC on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, to commemorate the historic accomplishments of the series. According to Variety, the one-hour special, named Downton Abbey Celebrates The Grand Finale, "will feature conversations with the cast of the film as they reunite in London at the Savoy Hotel to share memories and never-before-heard stories from their time with the show and the films."
Cast members that are set to appear on the NBC special are as follow: Hugh Boneville (Robert Crawley), Elizabeth McGovern (Cora Crawley), Michelle Dockery (Mary Crawley), Laura Carmichael (Edith Crawley), Jim Carter (Charles Carson), Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates), Allen Leech (Tom Branson), Phyllis Logan (Elsie Hughes), Sophie McShera (Daisy Parker), Raquel Cassidy (Phyllis Baxter), and Paul Giamatti (Harold Levinson). Composer John Lunn and costume designer Donal Woods will also participate.
Variety also reports that an "exclusive sneak-peak" will also air during the special, all in preparation for the epic conclusion of Downton Abbey. The film's premise details the Crawley family struggling with various changes, including financial trouble and public disgrace due to Mary Crawley's divorce. Set during the 1930s, the upstairs and downstairs people will face uncharted territory, and nothing will ever be the same in the Downton Abbey residence.
Throughout the series, we've seen the Crawleys and the staff go through the ringer, and through various turningpoints that shaped their lives in unimaginable ways. World War I, the Spanish influenza pandemic, the Irish War of Independence, the Teapot Dome scandal, the 1920s British Elections, and the interwar period of the 1930s are just a few historical events that transpired through the series.
While we lost some characters along the way, it's been an unforgettable journey to see these characters grow, flourish, misstep, and then recalibrate despite the tumultuous events surrounding them. It will be interesting to see how this final film will properly wrap up the journeys of the Crawleys, the Carsons, the Bates, and everyone else, hopefully giving fans the closure they've been waiting for after accompanying them for almost two decades.