A third Downton Abbey movie is officially in the works. Focus Features and Carnival Films have revealed the third feature film in the Downton Abbey franchise with an announcement video.

Downton Abbey 3 will bring back Dominic West to reprise his role as Guy Dexter from Downton Abbey: A New Era. Cast members that have been announced for the third film include Paul Giamatti, who's reprising his role as Cora Grantham's brother Harold Levinson, as well as Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale, and Arty Froushan. Downton creator and Academy Award winner Julian Fellowes is writing the script, while BAFTA and Emmy nominee Simon Curtis will return to direct after 2022's Downton Abbey: A New Era. Fellowes is producing with BAFTA and Emmy winners Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge.

"It feels amazing," Lady Mary actor Michelle Dockery said in the announcement video. "It's wonderful to be back together again. You come back together and it's like no time has passed at all. We're so happy to announce that we're in production for the third Downton Abbey movie. We can't wait to see you!"

Other returning cast members include Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton, Lesley Nicol, Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera, and Douglas Reit.

There had been rumors of Downton Abbey returning, possibly with a third feature film or a seventh season of the TV series. In March, Lady Maud Bagshaw actor Imelda Staunton shared on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show with Zoe Ball that there "will be the final film," suggesting that a third movie was in the works to close out the franchise. In 2023, Fellowes had teased that he hadn't closed the door on doing more with Downton Abbey.

Julian Fellowes Hadn't Closed the Door on Downton Abbey

"I have said goodbye to Downton so many times, and I have written the last scene about six or seven times,” he said, per The Sun. “Now, I've got out of the habit of making permanent statements about whether it's gone... It just gives me a lot of pleasure that so many people enjoyed it, so to feel that you created a show that cheers people up and they had a good time with it, I love that."

Downton Abbey 3 doesn't yet have a release date.

Source: Focus Features and Carnival Films