Is Downton Abbey Season 7 Really Happening After All?

Few television shows are as instantly recognisable as Downton Abbey. This iconic British historical drama, released in 2010, rapidly captivated viewers across the globe.

Spanning six seasons and inspiring two feature-length films, it chronicled the lives of the Crawley family, Yorkshire aristocrats and custodians of the eponymous estate from 1912 to 1926.

Downton Abbey boasted an exceptional ensemble cast featuring distinguished actors such as Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, and the legendary Dame Maggie Smith. Their characters not only became icons of British television but were also wholeheartedly embraced by viewers worldwide.

When the series concluded in 2015, the void it left was so palpable that producers embarked on two cinematic projects to fill it. These together grossed approximately $300 million. Despite this, the hunger for more Downton Abbey content persists, particularly in light of the growing audience interest in historical dramas - Bridgerton, for instance, is one of Netflix's most popular current offerings. Recently, the prospect of a seventh Downton Abbey season has been floated.

The Daily Mail has reported that ITV management is contemplating ways to assemble the star-studded cast for a potential seventh season, which fans are clearly eager for. However, this could pose a significant challenge for the network.

'There is casting taking place, and it would be great if all of the big stars can return. People loved Downton. It became a British institution and it has been much missed since it left our screens,' an unnamed source shared with the tabloid.

It seems the new season is in its early stages of development, and it remains unclear whether the original actors will return to their roles. In 2022, Hugh Bonneville told The Hollywood Reporter that he was not privy to any plans to resurrect Downton Abbey. Furthermore, he suggested that any revival would likely involve an entirely new cast.

'I think it’d be immensely unlikely that we would be brought back as a cast. It’s seven years since we did the TV show. Returning as we did for those two films was really lovely, but I think there’ll be a whole new generation,' Bonneville noted.

In summary, while nothing has been definitively confirmed, fans of Downton Abbey are psyched about a possible official announcement.

Sources: Daily Mail, The Hollywood Reporter.