It's been a long wait, but after what feels like forever, Downton Abbey: A New Era is is almost here and we cannot wait to be reunited with the Crawleys.
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However, there are some burning questions that viewers and the team here at HELLO! are desperately hoping to get answers to in the highly-anticipated sequel. Ahead of the film's release on 29 April in the UK and 20 May in the US, here are the major questions that have us scratching our heads...
WATCH: Are you excited for Downton Abbey: A New Era?
Will the Dowager Countess die?
We have to say we were slightly surprised to see Maggie Smith's character in the trailer for the new film, given the fact that the first movie ended with Lady Violet confiding in Lady Mary that she didn't have long to live.
Will the Dowager Countess die in the sequel?
The question remains whether The Dowager is still suffering from the ailment that she was so convinced would take her. As some eagle-eyed Downton fans have pointed out, Violet does not appear in the trailer scenes that take place in the south of France, heavily hinting that she may meet her maker before the Crawley clan decide to take her up on the invite to visit her newly inherited villa. She also appears to be missing from several other key scenes shown in the trailer, namely Tom Branson's wedding to Lucy Smith.
What's happened to Lady Mary's husband, Henry Talbot?
Another character who appears to be missing from the wedding is Lady Mary's husband, Henry Talbot, played by Matthew Goode, leading fans to speculate that something may have happened to his character too.
What has happened to Lady Mary's husband?
To add fuel to the fire, in the trailer it's hinted that the couple may be going through a separation. At one point, Lord Grantham can be seen saying that there is "trouble in paradise", which prompts Mary to retort: "You don't need me to tell you that marriage is a novel, full of plot twists along the way."
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However, it's worth keeping in mind that Matthew did not have a prominent role in the first Downton Abbey film either, only appearing towards the end of the film after his character returned from business. It seems possible that the actor was just too busy with his other projects to reprise his role, but it will be interesting to see how the film explains his absence.
Have Daisy and Andy married?
It seems that Downton Abbey: A New Era could feature weddings both upstairs and downstairs! As fans will recall, cook Daisy Mason got engaged to footman Andy Parker all the way back at the end of the show's sixth season but the two were still not married in the first feature film.
Have Daisy and Andy married?
However, it seems that their nuptials could take place either on or off-screen in the sequel as in the cast list released last year, Sophie McShera's character was listed as 'Daisy Parker'. We can't wait!
Will Thomas Barrow get his happily ever after?
Love him or hate him, Downton wouldn't be the same without meddling footman Thomas Barrow, who is played by Rob James-Collier, and despite his many transgressions, we're secretly still rooting for him.
Will Thomas Barrow get his happily ever after?
The first film saw him strike up a sweet friendship with the King's valet and explore the underground gay scene (since homosexuality was still illegal in England at the time), but things ended in heartbreak for him. We're hopeful that the new film will introduce a new love interest for Thomas, possibly in the form of one of the actors who has descended on Downton to film a movie.
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Will Lady Rose return?
Lily James was the most notable absentee from the 2019 Downton Abbey film, but that's not to say she won't make a surprise return for the sequel.
Will Lily James return as Lady Rose?
If Downton Abbey: A New Era is the franchise's final outing (more on that later), then it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility to see Lady Rose once again, but like her co-star Matthew Goode, the Mamma Mia 2 has had many projects over the last few years that mean she may not have been available to film scenes. Nevertheless, we've got our fingers crossed!
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Is this the end of Downton?
We really hope this isn't the end, but at the moment, there's no news on creator Julian Fellowes' plans after the release of the sequel.
Will A New Era be the final Downton outing?
However, Raquel Cassidy, who plays Phyllis Baxter, recently spoke to HELLO! and hinted that a third Downton Abbey movie is not beyond the realms of possibility. "I think they would – if the appetite is there, then we might see another film," she said." I know that we would all love to, it was so much fun this time."
