Some franchises are huge and yet only play out in certain circles. One of them is now heading towards its grand finale after 15 years: Downton Abbey.
As Collider recently reported, an era is coming to an end: after two film sequels, the world of Downton Abbey is to receive a third feature film to conclude the series. But what’s behind the success story?
56 hours of top entertainment: The Downton Abbey phenomenon explained
In 2010, the British historical series Downton Abbey was launched on ITV and quickly gained a growing audience. As in his film Gosford Park (2001), screenwriter Julian Fellowes told the story of the goings-on in an English aristocratic house in his series. At the beginning of the 20th century, the focus was on the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants on their estate called Downton Abbey.
Patriarch Robert, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), and his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) with their three daughters Mary (Michelle Dockery), Edith (Laura Carmichael) and Sibyl (Jessica Brown) have to come to terms with the difficult succession at Downton Abbey in the form of newcomer Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens). But the staff, from chambermaid Anna (Joanne Froggatt) to scheming butler Barrow (Robert James-Collier), also have their own personal hurdles to overcome in a changing world. The grandmother Countess Dowager Violet (Maggie Smith), who had a dry comment on her lips for every situation, became a fan favorite
Watch the trailer for season 1 of Downton Abbey here
An ensemble drama with strong characters and plenty of smoothly juggled historical and personal setbacks, as well as feel-good and romantic moments, Downton Abbey won numerous awards, including three Golden Globes and two Emmys. In its heyday, the British series had even become such a fixture in pop cultural memory that it was elevated to Happy Hogan’s (Jon Favreau) favorite series in Iron Man 3 in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) in 2013. Who gave free rein to his feelings while watching
These series and films are part of Downton Abbey
The soon-to-be four entries of Downton Abbey currently have a running time of around 56 hours:
Downton Abbey (2010-2015) – the series unfolded between the years 1912 and 1926 and released 6 seasons with 52 episodes (including 5 Christmas specials)
Downton Abbey (2019) – the first film followed on from the end of the series in 1927 and brought a royal visit to the estate
Downton Abbey II: A New Era (2022) – the second film was set in 1928 and had some of the family traveling to the south of France for a mysterious inheritance while filming took place at the manor itself
Downton Abbey 3 – the third and final film is expected in 2025 and will be set after part 2
According to Box Office Mojo, the Downton Abbey films recouped a whopping $194 million and $92 million at a budget of $13 million and $16 million respectively. Filming for Part 3 will begin in May 2024, meaning the final film is expected to hit theaters in 2025, bringing back its remaining Downton Abbey cast one last time.
(Downton Abbey season 1)
With similar stories such as The Gilded Age, series creator Julian Fellowes later picked up on Downton Abbey’s recipe for success elsewhere. However, no other series has been able to replicate this success in a comparable way
