The Final 'Downton Abbey' Featurette Will Leave You Teary-Eyed
Raquel Cassidy as Baxter, Kevin Doyle as Molesley, Sophie McShera as Daisy, Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes, Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore, Jim Carter as Mr. Carson, Brendan Coyle as Bates, and Joanne Froggatt as Anna in 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale'
Rory Mulvey / © 2025 Focus Features
It is rare for a franchise to conclude in the 21st century, when the landscape is heavily marked by reboots, revivals, and reimaginings of older titles. It's not just shows like The Forsytes remaking The Forsyte Saga for a new century, or boyish comedy All Creatures Great & Small recast as cozy family programming. Outlander has given way to Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Motherland to Amandaland, and so on. That's why it's such a big deal that Downton Abbey is really and truly ending. Or, at least this cast and iteration of the series is being allowed to have a good send-off, with little fear of being asked to reprise the characters ever again outside of the odd Red Nose Day sketch.
The irony is that this sort of franchising rarely happens to a series like Downton, or to your average working British actor whose main bread and butter is BBC and ITV series with occasional forays to Channel 4 and 5. I think that's part of what charms Americans about the cast, and why they're all viewed as so likable; most of them have never experienced this sort of hoopla and never will again, unless they accidentally luck into a film festival darling that gets real Oscar buzz. The result is that they're all deeply sincere in their graciousness and humility about having the chance to experience this, something that is essentially impossible to manufacture.
That sincerity comes across in the new featurette "Farewell to Downton," where the actors discuss what it was like making the final film.
Here's the film's synopsis:
The cinematic return of the global phenomenon follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter the 1930s. When Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale sees the final returns of Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern as Lord & Lady Grantham; Penelope Wilton and Douglas Reith Lord & Lady Merton; Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael as Lady Mary & Lady Edith; Allen Leech and Harry Hadden-Paton as sons-in-law Tom & Bertie; plus Dominic West as Guy Dexter and Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson. The late Maggie Smith's character, the Dowager Countess Violet, will be honored in the film.
Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan return as Mr. Carson & Mrs. Hughes; Brendan Coyle and Joanne Froggat as Bates & Anna; Raquel Cassidy and Kevin Doyle as Miss Baxter & Mr. Molesley; Michael Fox and Sophie McShera as Andy & Daisy; plus Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore, and Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow.
Downton Abbey 3 Grand Finale Official Poster
Focus Features
Guest stars for the third film include Joely Richardson (Renegade Nell), Simon Russell Beale (Mary & George), British-American actor Arty Froushan (House of the Dragon), and American actor Alessandro Nivola (Black Narcissus).
As always, Julian Fellowes wrote the screenplay, with director Simon Curtis once again at the helm.
The behind-the-scenes special Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale, featuring the cast, debuts on NBC on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET and streams the next day on Peacock. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will also premiere with special advanced screenings on Wednesday, September 10, before opening globally in theaters on Friday, September 12, 2025.
