Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has revealed the key reason why the third and seemingly final film, The Grand Finale, is unlikely to be followed by another movie. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly last year, Fellowes explained that he wanted the story to conclude before the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party in the lead-up to World War II.
Fellowes on Ending the Series
“I wanted to leave at a time when that had not yet become apparent as a threat,” Fellowes said. “I wanted to be sure that the public who’d followed their fortunes felt happy and satisfied to say goodbye to these people. In other words, I felt they needed to have an indication of where they were all going and how they were all going to deal with the changing world. It’s no longer going to be a world of white tie and footmen; that was on its way out. So, we needed to be sure that they would be okay.”
The 76-year-old creator’s decision ensures the series ends on a relatively optimistic note, with the characters navigating the 1930s without the shadow of global conflict. In the film, Lord and Lady Grantham have moved into the Dower House, leaving Mary, who remains single, to run Downton Abbey herself.
Rumours of a Spin-Off
Despite Fellowes’ stance, rumours persist about a potential spin-off. Actress Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Cora Crawley, has acknowledged “a lot of that sort of talk” regarding a prequel focusing on a younger version of Maggie Smith’s Violet Crawley. The late Dame Maggie Smith’s character died in the second film, Downton Abbey: A New Era, but her Victorian youth has been referenced throughout the series. A crossover with Fellowes’ other period drama, The Gilded Age, has also been speculated.
Where to Watch
For fans wanting to revisit the series, the first Downton Abbey film airs on ITV1 at 5pm today and will be available to stream on ITVX for a limited time afterward.
