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Fans of the Downton Abbey franchise are anticipating the third film in the series arriving in the later innings of the upcoming 2025 movies schedule. Of course, a big question has been hanging over the film, as the late Dame Maggie Smith’s passing will undoubtedly color the project’s production in a certain way. As a popular character who acted as the glue for the franchise, and the family within it, a special tribute would seem to be in the making – and there are some early details of exactly how that’s going to happen.
Downton executive producer Gareth Neame was on hand in an interview with TVLine to promote his latest series, the Peacock streaming hit The Day of the Jackal. So of course, he was asked for any information he could provide on the threequel, set to debut in theaters September 2025. But as Neame revealed in his remarks, Dame Maggie Smith’s passing has influenced the production in a way that didn’t have to alter the story:
The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway. The loss of the Dowager, it now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful.
Downton Abbey: A New Era’s bittersweet ending saw Dowager Countess Violet Crawley passing away surrounded by her family, so the table was already set for the rest of the cast to mourn her presence. Sadly, what started as a story commemorating the death of a pop culture icon has now become a vehicle for actual grief to be expressed.
Though as Gareth Neame pointed out, the silver lining is that real life circumstances have now made a logical plot decision more meaningful in its execution. With cast members like Penelope Wilton sharing comedic Dame Maggie Smith anecdotes in previous promotional tours, it’s still kind of hard to imagine the woman with the most acidic tongue of the lot no longer being present.
It also seems that Downton Abbey film co-star Imelda Staunton’s claims about the trilogy capping installment might be true after all. With whispers continuing to circulate that Downton Abbey 3 is in fact the final chapter, it does seem like it may be a proper time to close the book on this long-running hit. Although who knows where the next stroke of inspiration may come from, allowing Gareth Neame and series creator/writer Julian Fellowes to figure out the next move for the Crawley family.
Downton Abbey 3 is set to take its place in theaters on September 12, 2025. While we’ll have to wait for more details, like a proper title, you can watch the entire Downton legacy through access to a Peacock subscription, That also includes the recently re-added Downton Abbey: A New Era, which might feel a bit more meaningful being watched now after losing the venerable Dame Maggie Smith.