Get ready for a tearful farewell in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which will see the Crawley family hitting the big screens one last time.
There are sure to be tears of joy and sadness as the final curtain comes down and a new full length trailer has also shared some juicy plot details about the third spin-off movie, which takes the story into the 1930s.
It seems Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) has officially split from Sir Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) yet as a divorcee, she's facing disgrace in the upper echelons of British society - just at the time when Lord Crawley needs her to take on Downton Abbey!
Let's hope the scandal is resolved in what is certain to be the final chapter in a saga that ran for six TV series between 2010 and 2015, before getting two spin-off feature films in 2019 and 2022.
All our old favourite characters will be back, while stars such as Paul Giamatti, Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan will be joining the cast. Dominic West will also reprise his role as Guy Dexter from Downton Abbey: A New Era.
“It feels amazing and a tad emotional," said Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary, in a video confirming the news. "It's wonderful all to be back together again. You come back together and it's like no time has passed at all."
Here's everything we know about Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale so far...
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale release date
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released in cinemas on September 12, 2025, in the UK and US it's now been officially confirmed.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale trailer
The full trailer was released at the end of June 2025, and it was well worth the wait. At over two minutes long, we get a lot more detail on the movie, as we catch up with all our Downton favourites in 1930.
With scenes in both London and Downton, the trailer reveals that Lady Mary will be at the centre of a scandal after getting divorced, before a caption reading. "The place we'll always remember, the family we'll never forget. Everything has led to this. It's almost time to bid farewell."
You can watch the trailer in full below...
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale plot
It seems the film will take us into the 1930s, with the future of Downton Abbey hanging in the balance.
Lord Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) is keen to pass the estate on to his daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), yet she has other things to worry about, after being dragged into a scandal following her divorce from Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode).
With Talbot not featuring in the last movie, the signs weren't good for him, but it's clear their relationship has floundered and as a divorcee, Mary is seen as damaged goods, with her personal life splashed across the front pages of the newspapers. But will she find happiness again before the credits roll in this grand finale?
A full synopsis reads as follows...
"The cinematic return of the global phenomenon, follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter the 1930s. When Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawley’s must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future."
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale cast
All our old favourites are confirmed to return, while Paul Giamatti will reprise his role from the TV series as Cora’s brother Harold Levinson.
New cast members include Joely Richardson (The Gentlemen), Alessandro Nivola (Face/Off) and House of the Dragon stars, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan, who will all play new characters.
The previous movie saw Thomas Barrow setting off to Los Angeles with his companion Guy Dexter. Yet Robert James-Collier, who plays Barrow, and The Crown star Dominic West, who plays Dexter, will both be back in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.
According to reports Joanne Froggatt has also been spotted back on set in character - complete with what looks like a baby bump. Whether Anna is pregnant or not remains to be officially confirmed, however, an insider reportedly told The Sun: "This will be welcome news for fans of the drama because Anna was a particular favorite but none of the cast members were guaranteed to return."
Unfortunately, Maggie Smith, who played the iconic Dowager Countess, won't be back, after her character passed away at the end of the second spin-off movie, Downton Abbey: A New Era.
It has also been hinted that sadly Imelda Staunton won't be returning as Maud Bagshaw. Despite the fact the star of The Crown was the first to confirm the film was in production when she let the cat out of the bag on Zoe Ball's Radio 2 Breakfast Show in March 2024, the movie is set to film in the summer of 2024 when Imelda is appearing in Hello Dolly! at the Palladium Theatre in London. Fortunately, her husband, Jim Carter, will reprise his Downton role, Charles Carson, as will Hugh Bonneville, who plays central character the Earl of Grantham.
Meanwhile, Lady Mary's husband Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) didn't feature in the last film and it looks like he won't be in this one either.
Here's a list of cast who are confirmed to appear...
- Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham
- Laura Carmichael as Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham
- Raquel Cassidy as Phyllis Baxter
- Brendan Coyle as John Bates
- Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot
- Kevin Doyle as Joseph Molesley
- Michael Fox as Andy Parker
- Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates
- Harry Hadden-Paton as Herbert "Bertie" Pelham, Marquess of Hexham
- Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow
- Allen Leech as Tom Branson
- Penelope Wilton as Isobel Crawley
- Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham
- Sophie McShera as Daisy Parker
- Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Branson
- Lesley Nicol as Beryl Patmore
- Douglas Reith as Lord Merton
- Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson
Behind the scenes and more on Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be directed by Simon Curtis, with the screenplay by Downton creator and Academy-Award® winner Julian Fellowes. Producers for the movie are Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge, and the executive producer is Nigel Marchant.
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