Downtonians, rejoice! Downton Abbey is back. Julian Fellowes’ acclaimed British period drama may have concluded back in 2015, but the 2019 film of the same name brought back many of the beloved characters from the series. The film became a critical and financial success. While it wrapped up many of the plotlines that had been introduced in the show, the Downton Abbey film left the door open for a sequel.
Downton Abbey: A New Era was originally scheduled for release in December, but COVID-19-related shutdowns forced Focus Features to push the film’s opening date back to the spring. The film has already opened in the United Kingdom, so be wary of spoilers if you haven’t gotten the chance to check it out yet. However, if you’ve already seen Downton Abbey: A New Era, you may be curious where the story is going next. Here is everything you need to know about A New Era, in full spoiler detail.
A New Era is set in 1928, one year after the events of the first film. The residents and staff of the beloved Yorkshire country estate are still recuperating from their experiences serving the Royal Family. However, they hear that they will soon be receiving even more overwhelming guests: Hollywood actors. The film director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy) visits Downton, and asks for permission to shoot a film within the estate.
Barber’s offer is both intriguing and confusing for the Downton Abbey characters. The downstairs staff is excited about the chance to interact with some of the famous stars that will be attending, such as silent film stars Guy Dexter (Dominic West) and Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock). Barber is ecstatic that his offer to film at Downton has been approved, however, he seemingly becomes even more excited about getting to spend time with Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery).
The film industry has been undergoing a serious change at the end of the 1920s. In 1927, the famous musical The Jazz Singer became the first film to feature a synchronized score with original songs performed by the cast, which caused the eventual decline of silent films. In a plot point inspired by the musical classic Singin’ In The Rain, Barber must work alongside the Downton residents to add dialogue to his silent movie. After Barber discovers that Myrna’s British accent is horrible, he enlists Lady Mary to replace her voice. Although she gives him a hand, Lady Mary politely declines Barber’s advances.
Not everyone in Downton is as impressed with Hollywood. The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) believes that films are only a trend. The Dowager can be forgiven, since she has more serious things to deal with. Violet learns that she’s inherited a villa in the south of France from the Marquis de Montmirail. Robert (Hugh Bonneville), Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), Tom (Allen Leech), Lucy (Tuppence Middleton), Edith (Laura Carmichael), and Bertie (Harry Hadden-Paton) go to explore the villa, and while the trip is exciting, Robert is forced to ask questions about his heritage, and fears that he is the love child of Violet and the Marquis.
It's also a stressful time for Robert. His wife Cora reveals that she is suffering from an illness, which she fears might be cancer. The possibility of losing his legitimacy means absolutely nothing compared to losing his life partner. Robert is clouded by fear as they return to Downton. However, Dr. Richard Clarkson (David Robb) arrives at Yorkshire. After Cora undergoes testing, they discover that she is suffering from a form of anemia. Her illness, while painful, is not fatal if treated.
Robert is relieved, and learns that both his marriage and heritage are intact. Violet informs him that he is the legitimate child of Patrick Crawley, the Sixth Earl of Grantham. It's one of the last conversations Robert shares with his mother, who has fallen ill. After giving her final farewell to various family members, Violet dies in her bed, and the entire estate is understandably devastated. However, as one soul leaves Downton, another one joins it. The opening of the film showed the wedding between Tom and Lucy, and in the end, we see Tom and Lucy have had their first child together. As the film ends, we see that a portrait of Violet has been hung in honor of the Dowager Countess.
A New Era is an appropriate title, because the sequel brings some romances to fruition that have long been blossoming, and also introduces an entirely new one. Joseph Molesley (Kevin Doyle) and Phyllis Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) finally get engaged after years of pining for each other. Molesley hilariously proposes on the film crew’s speaker system, inadvertently announcing the union to the entire house. Also, Mr. Mason (Paul Copley) decides to move in with Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nichol), moving out of the farm home that he shared with newlyweds Daisy (Sophia McShera) and Andy (Michael Fox).
After flirting throughout the film shoot, Guy asks Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier) if he will move to Hollywood with him to run his house, with the subtext being that this arrangement will be a way for the two of them to be romantically involved. After years of missed opportunities, it looks as though Barrow finally gets the happy ending he's been looking for. Thomas decides to resign as Downton's butler, leaving Mary to ask Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) if he can resume his previous duties as the butler, with Carson to train Andy as his replacement.
As for the other notable Downton cast, Edith decides to start writing again, and plans on writing a new article about the celebrities that made the French Riveria a summer destination. Even the haughty actress Myrtle gets a happy ending, as she learns to master an American accent, and takes joy in seeing the film reach a successful conclusion. Filming had been tumultuous; Barber was even forced to employ the Downton staff as extras, after his actual hired actors walked out after a pay dispute.
The Downton Abbey saga may not have reached its stopping point quite yet. Fellowes revealed in an interview that while he was happy if the story has “run its course,” he will “find a way of delivering more” if there is a demand from the cast and fans.