Downton Abbey

Beautifully filmed, intriguing, entertaining, poignant and with a gorgeously light touch, Downton Abbey: A New Era is everything you could possibly want it ...

The film is light and yet profound, touching and yet thoroughly entertaining. But then as the mystery seems to unravel, Lord Grantham is suddenly looking at the biggest existential crisis of his life: just who exactly is he? Meanwhile, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith on the finest form) drops her own little bombshell with guarded hints at a long lost mystery in her past: a French aristo, seemingly out the blue, has left her a villa on the south coast of France.

The popular period drama is hitting the big screen for the second time with Downton Abbey: A New Era - here's everything you need to know.

Downton Abbey: A New Era is finally here. The movie will be available to watch only in cinemas from Friday, April 29. It will see the cast, including Maggie Smith, Tuppence Middleton and Michelle Dockery, return to Highclere Castle, where much of the filming takes place.

The tour guide will point you in the direction of more filming locations such as the church, Post Office and the hospital as well as the homes of characters ...

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Fans are wondering why Matthew Goode - aka Lady Mary's husband Henry Talbot - doesn't appear in new movie Downton Abbey: A New Era.

The British actor also appeared in the first Downton Abbey film. He arrives at Downton to appear in the movie being filmed at the house. In the trailer for Downton Abbey 2 we see an intimate exchange Dancy’s character and Lady Mary: “There’s trouble in paradise,” he tells her. In Downton Abbey: A New Era, Lady Mary explains that her husband Henry Talbot is away travelling the world and racing cars. The Crawley family are back on our screens and bringing further drama to audiences in 2022 thanks to the release of the second Downton Abbey film. But eagle-eyed viewers may notice that her husband played by Matthew Goode is not in Downton Abbey 2.

The Belle Epoque property is at the centre of a major plot point in the Crawley family's second filmic outing.

After the Dowager Countess announces that she has been left the holiday home in the will of a mysterious former lover, her son Lord Grantham is dispatched (along with various other family members) to investigate her claim, on the invitation of the late owner's son. With three houses making up the estate, the property accommodates up to 42 guests, or can be rented on a room-by-room or cottage-by-cottage basis. Owned by French multi-millionaire Jean-Baptiste Rudelle, the villa is available to rent when it's not being used as a filming location.

Viewers flocked to Twitter to share their emotional reactions after watching the film, which was released in cinemas on Friday.

There are also some genuine chuckles, and a few shamelessly derivative storylines...Downton is the gift that keeps on giving.' Anna Smith writes: 'With more plot turns than half a dozen episodes, A New Era crams a lot into its running time, and its manipulations can be quite transparent. It is all cheerfully risible although heading for a note of seriousness to compare with what Wagner was aiming for with Siegfried’s Funeral March.' Robbie Collin writes: 'The luxury soap opera's second feature-length spin-off ticks all the right boxes... The further the '20s went along, the more the world was changing in so many ways. South of France, Hollywood, laughter & tears…felt like the closing chapter of a beloved story. But it’s hard to resent them when it so clearly achieves its mission. One fan wrote: 'Just watched Downton Abbey A New Era. As expected - absolutely loved it! We take that further. Speaking about the project, Julian shared: 'It's really a new era. And a fourth said: 'Back with old friends from #DowntonAbbey tonight. Movie: The sequel sees the return of the much-loved cast as the Crawley family head to the South of France to uncover a mystery at a villa

Downton Abbey: A New Era could lead to Downton Abbey 3, but who will return and what would it be about? Read on for cast, plot, potential release date and ...

They're in France as the Dowager informs her family of the inheritance of a villa, a gift from a man with whom she had shared a passionate week many, many years ago. But we’ll wait and see how they feel about it, but if they do, who knows. "In this business, it's very foolish not to give people what they want. Doyle floated the idea of a "Downton Abbey the musical" with Dockery suggesting they all play each other, and going so far to cast Doyle as her part. With so many moving parts, it's a wonder A New Era manages to have a cohesive plot (it does!) and still manages to leave the doors open to another return to Downton. Here's what we know, and can glean, about a potential Downton Abbey 3. Downton Abbey 3 has yet to be confirmed, but if the sequel proves just as much of a hit with fans, you can't rule it out.

Nestled on the Hampshire/Berkshire border is a Grade I listed country house with a familiar exterior. Highclere Castle is synonymous with the period drama ...

- Lacock Village, Wiltshire (51,915) - This National Trust area was used for scenes in series six that take place in a livestock market. A list of the 10 most popular filming locations from the series has been released, with locations in Oxford, Wiltshire and Hampshire. Trailers show the familiar exterior of the property that has been the home of Downton Abbey fans since it was first seen on screens in 2010.

As A New Era is set to dawn for Downton Abbey, creator Julian Fellowes revealed the surprising experience that eventually influence the series' creation.

Downton Abbey and Gosford Park both seem to owe a debt to Julian Fellowes’ experience as a teenager. During his fireside chat with Downton star Hugh Bonneville, Julian Fellowes recounted a vacation he’d gone on as a teenager, which would set the scene. With Fellowes not being immune to that strategy, he recently revealed the teenage experience that led him to eventually start the beloved TV series that kicked things off.