Every character ‘has their own story’ in the ‘Downton Abbey’ movie

The creator of Downton Abbey has promised that everyone has their moment in the upcoming movie.

The big screen spin-off of ITV’s hit period drama begins in 1927, around 18 months after the events of the final episode.

The movie finished filming last November and the first trailer was released last month.

The entire main cast of the TV series is expected to return.

Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes has been chatting about the challenges of including so many characters in one feature-length story.

He told EW: “When you’re doing a series, you give a proper story to four or five characters a week and the others join in those proper stories.

“It’s like a country dance; you’re always exchanging the emphasis. Whereas with a film, everyone has to have their own story that is then completed and that is quite a jigsaw to arrange.”

Allen Leech, who plays Tom Branson, added: “The one worry we all had was whether Julian could bring 22 characters and bring them to life again within the confines of only two hours.”

However, he reassured fans: “The minute we read [the script], already the story had gained in scale and in size so much, and Julian’s done a very clever thing… Everyone has to come together and combine as a household for the story.”

Leech recently married American Crime Story actress Jessica Blair Herman in California.

Teasing the movie, the Irish actor added: “It’s a lovely return to something that feels familiar. People will get an opportunity to see their favorite characters, and even those they hate, back in the world again and in this whole new story and given a whole new life.”

The Downton Abbey movie will be released in cinemas this September.

Mr Carson actor Jim Carter recently revealed that a sequel is on the cards if the film is a success at the box office.

Downton Abbey: The Complete Collection DVD box set is available on Amazon.