Anna Bates herself confirmed the news on Twitter.
Assemble the staff and set a place at the table because the Downton Abbey cast is reuniting in a big way!
A film for the BBC period drama has officially been given the greenlight, with Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville and more of the beloved show’s original stars set to reprise their roles. The show’s creator, Julian Fellowes, has also signed on to write the screenplay, and production will begin this summer.
The official Downton Abbey Twitter account confirmed the news on Friday, tweeting, “Welcome back to Downton! We’re thrilled to announce that #DowntonAbbey is coming to the big screen. Film production begins this summer.”
Joanne Froggatt, who played Anna Bates on the show and won a Golden Globe in 2015 for her role, was also eager to share the news, posting a sweet photo to Twitter of herself with Dockery and Smith. “Delighted to announce we’re getting the band back together. #DowntonMovie #DowntonAbbey," she wrote.
Meanwhile, Deadline reports that story details are currently being kept under wraps, but notes that Highclere Castle, just outside of London, will still be the filming location for the Crawley family.
Rumors surrounding a film have been circling ever since the Golden Globe winning show wrapped in 2015 after six seasons on the air.
In August 2017, star Bonneville told ET, "“I’ve yet to see a shooting script. You guys always seem to know more about it than any of us in the cast do," adding, "We’re all still friends, and I look back on Downton with enormous affection. I do think there’s a lot of good will towards the notion of doing a movie, and it would be nice to think we could give it one last hurrah.”
Last October, Dockery also spoke with ET about a possible movie, sharing that she would "love" to do a movie. "I really do hope it happens," she touted.
One fan of the show-turned-movie is Kate Middleton. Here's a look back at when she toured the set:
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