Downton Abbey 2: Film sequel announced with original cast returning and Dominic West joining

Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith, Laura Carmichael and more are expected to return

A new Downton Abbey film is officially in the works.

The programme’s Twitter account announced the news on Monday in a message that read: “We're thrilled to announce that Julian Fellowes and the entire Downton cast are back for #DowntonAbbey2.”

Among the series’s original stars are Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith, Laura Carmichael, Imelda Staunton, and Jim Carter, who are all expected to return.

All starred in the first Downton Abbey film, released in September 2019.

In addition to the original cast, several actors are joining the franchise for this second instalment: Dominic West, French actor Nathalie Baye, Laura Haddock, and Hugh Dancy.

The film is currently scheduled for a theatrical release on 22 December 2021, according to Deadline.

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes will write the screenplay and co-produce the film, as he did with the 2019 instalment.

The historical drama, set in the early 20th century, aired in the UK on ITV between September 2010 and December 2015, for a total of six seasons. In the US, the series aired on PBS.

The first Downton Abbey film, simply titled Downton Abbey, was a box office success, earning more than $230m out of an estimated budget of $13m, according to Box Office Mojo.