Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes addresses the possibility of continuing the landmark British upstairs-downstairs historical drama show.

The future of ​​​​​​Downton Abbey has been addressed by creator Julian Fellowes. The historical drama show is set in the titular English manor home during the early 20th century and follows the intertwined lives of the residents and staff, played by an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Brown Findlay, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, and Maggie Smith. The show ran on ITV for 6 seasons and a total of 52 episodes between 2010 and 2015, which were followed by the movies Downton Abbey in 2019 and A New Era in 2022.

Per The Sun, Julian Fellowes has discussed the future of the show, either as season 7 or a possible Downton Abbey 3. Because the franchise has already returned multiple times, he says he is “out of the habit of making permanent statements” about the finality of its ending. However, he gave no indication that there is active development on any new projects in the universe of the show. Read his full quote below:

I have said goodbye to Downton so many times, and I have written the last scene about six or seven times. Now I’ve got out of the habit of making permanent statements 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.

Could Downton Abbey Return?

While Fellowes is playing coy about the possibility of a proper return for Downton Abbey, the idea isn’t entirely out of the question. The most recent entry in the franchise came in 2022 after a three-year break, meaning there could be precedent for another installment within a few years. However, there are also some major impediments to the return of the franchise.

For one thing, the Downton Abbey: A New Era ending featured the death of one of the franchise’s most important and beloved characters. Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess Violet Crawley, the tart-tongued matriarch of the family, passed away at age 86. While her memory was honored by a portrait placed in the main hall of Downton, the character was important for holding together the show’s vast ensemble and the prospect of the franchise without her might give viewers trepidation.

The availability of Fellowes and the rest of the Downton Abbey cast could also be a concern. The creator has already moved on to his HBO historical drama The Gilded Era, set in late 19th century New York, while cast members’ big new projects include Paddington in Peru (starring Hugh Bonneville) and Wonka (featuring Jim Carter). However, they have pulled off massive reunions twice already, so another return is far from out of the question.