‘Downton Abbey’ team are ’rounding people up’ to return for sequel

The cast of Downton Abbey are already getting their schedules together for a second film.

Based on ITV’s hit period drama series, the Downton movie topped the box office in the UK and the US upon its release in cinemas last autumn.

It became a huge success around the world and plans for a sequel were quickly confirmed.

Of course, as with its predecessor, the main obstacle for getting the new movie in to production is the business of the large ensemble cast.

Hugh Bonneville, who plays Robert Crawley, previously described the process of getting everyone to be available at the same time as “like herding cats“!

Bonneville commented in 2017: “We’re all in different parts of the world. But, we have a great affection for each other and the show, and where there’s a will there’s a way. I hope so, but it’s going to be a tough call to get everyone together.”

It all worked out in the end, although Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes has also called the cast’s scheduling “a logistical nightmare.”

He told CBS Sunday Morning: “They were doing shows on Broadway and movies and series in Hollywood and plays in London and God knows what. They all had to be extracted for a kind of 12-week period…”

Fortunately, it looks like the Downton team are already getting organised on this front.

Lesley Nicol, who plays cook Beryl Patmore, has confirmed to Good Morning Britain: “They’re working on it yeah. I don’t think they’ve written it, but they are rounding people up.”

The current plan is to have the Downton Abbey sequel in cinemas in 2021 or 2022.

Julian Fellowes’ new period drama series The English Game premieres this Friday on Netflix.

The Downton Abbey movie is available on DVD on Amazon.