The Full Trailer for the 'Downton Abbey' Movie is Here and It is Glorious

The "Downton Abbey" theatrical poster (Photo: Focus Features)

After dropping a teaser trailer that was little more than a shot of the titular house’s driveway, the folks behind the upcoming Downton Abbey movie finally give the people what they want: A full two-minute trailer,  stuffed with everything you love miss about the popular period drama.

Everything looks suitably sumptuous and dramatic, with gorgeous costumes, coordinated bowing, ballroom dancing and that iconic theme music underscoring everything.

You’d be forgiven if you too got a little bit choked up, seeing everything again.

The movie will be set in 1927, just a few short years after the original series concluded. However, just enough time seems to have passed for almost everyone to have adopted slightly more modern hairstyles, and trendy new clothes.

(Spoiler alert: Everyone looks great.)

As we wrote about earlier, the plot of the film appears fairly simply, involving a royal visit to Downton by King George V and his wife Queen Mary, just as the great house is busy adjusting to an even more pared-down and frugal lifestyle.

In honor of this momentous occasion, Carson comes out of retirement to help Lady Mary handle everything and the extended triumphant shot of him walking back up the Downton drive is amazing. Watch for yourselves below.

As you can see, the entirety of the TV series cast is returning, including Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Robert-James Collier, Leslie Nichol and, of course, the indomitable Maggie Smith.  

New faces set to appear in the film include Geraldine James, Imelda Staunton, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Kate Phillips and Stephen Campbell Moore.

(Probably some of those people are playing the King and Queen, but since we don’t actually see them in the trailer, we don’t know for sure just yet.)

The official theatrical poster was also released to accompany the film, which has some of the old feel of the series' iconic key image art, but set inside the house this time, instead of just outside it. (Though it is sort of unfortunate that Edith its stuck in the back corner creeping like Miss Havisham. 

You are cordially invited to return to Downton Abbey! Be the first to know about all things #DowntonAbbeyFilm. Sign up for reminders at https://t.co/ttfhioBOYR pic.twitter.com/nkAEKmoOBb

— Downton Abbey (@DowntonAbbey) May 20, 2019

The Downton Abbey movie will hit theaters on September 20 here in the U.S., a week after its premiere in the U.K.

Are you excited to see the Crawley family again? What do you hope will happen in this feature film? Let’s discuss in the comments.


Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

More to Love from Telly Visions