If there is anything we have shown over the past year, then there is nothing like a period drama that offers the escape we crave. With elaborate costumes, dated speech patterns, and social attitudes that at the same time feel quirky with our reality, it’s really no surprise that shows like Netflix’s raucous Regency era ‘Bridgerton’, the charming country ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ and even the chess drama ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ was a smash hit.
To ride this wave is ‘Downton Abbey’. Yes, the Crawleys and their beleagured staff are back. Focus Features announced on Monday that a second film based on the popular British drama will hit theaters this Christmas.
Even if you were a dedicated ‘Downton’ fan, the existence of the first film may have come as a surprise, as the six seasons on TV went satisfactorily for most of the characters. Nevertheless, the 2019 film not only made the investigation into faded nobility larger than life on the big screen, but it was a commercial success and brought in more than $ 194 million worldwide in its theatrical setting.
As Salon critic Melanie McFarland wrote: ‘Downton Abbey’ is basically designed to take the lead in 2019 life, the visual equivalent of a half Valium chased by a flute’s champagne. ‘The film was less focused on necessity and more focused on offering a much-needed support service as a distraction.
The second film will undoubtedly double this strategy for a world hungry to escape our pandemic tension. “Downton Abbey 2” promises the return of all the original cast members and a screenplay written by creator and Oscar winner Julian Fellowes. The recurring heavy hits include Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess, Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley, among the rest of the upper and lower occupants.
Hannibal star Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West join the new “Downton Abbey” movie universe. Simon Curtis will direct.
Aside from the decisive announcement, the plot for “Downton Abbey 2” remains under scrutiny for the time being. The first film took place in 1927 with the Yorkshire country house in a tortuous preparation for a visit by the King and Queen. One can only speculate what this upcoming film will yield, apart from a series of questions of course, such as:
How can ‘Downton 2’ be a royal visit? When will this new film take place? Will it leap forward and usher in a new decade? Or will it stop exactly where the last movie took place? What new technological advances will the Crawleys face next? And why do we need another “Downton” movie? now?
It’s been two years since the last one, and five years since the series itself ended. And although the characters did not end up dead in a giant natural disaster, their storylines felt pretty settled. Do we really need to hear about the new business that Tom (Allen Leech) has been pursuing, or see how much Lady Mary is changing in the Dowager Countess? How many children can still be born – and summarily ignored?
There is, however, one storyline that feels unresolved, even though the film ends on a hopeful note for Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), the servant best known for being a man in the 1920s. While the series itself presented uncomfortable racial and social issues, the film made an effort not to at least traumatize Thomas for storytelling purposes. In fact, he became aware of a world of other gay men, even though it was a world that lived in the shadows.
Whether or not Thomas still gets his or her happiness remains to be seen, but at least fans of “Downton” should be pleased, as the timing could not be better. The film’s Christmas release may coincide with the new season of “Bridgerton” – which started last Christmas for the first time with great success. Come December, fans of costume dramas can have an excess of bodysuits and British accents on the big and small screen.