This Christmas, the Crawleys are returning home—to MASTERPIECE. The first Downton Abbey movie, based on the mega-hit television series that won 15 Primetime Emmys® and earned 69 Emmy® nominations and set viewing records for a PBS drama, will air on MASTERPIECE on Christmas Day, December 25, 2021, 7-9 pm and again on Sunday, January 2, 2022, 6-8 pm. The encore presentation on January 2 will lead up to the premiere of Around the World in 80 Days, starring David Tennant on PBS. This is an broadcast exclusive, so make sure to see it on air since it won’t be available for online streaming. Watch a preview of Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture now!
“We are so happy to offer our viewers the chance to spend the holidays with the Crawleys,” said MASTERPIECE Executive producer Susanne Simpson. “For Downton Abbey fans, this movie is the perfect treat everyone can enjoy.” MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.
“PBS is proud to have been the home of Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE for six incredible award-winning seasons,” said Maria Bruno Ruiz, Vice President of Program Scheduling at PBS. “Since its debut in 2011, Downton Abbey has been a runaway hit with fans, and we are thrilled to welcome the Crawley family back to PBS.”
Billed as a grand motion picture event when it opened in theaters in 2019, the first Downton Abbey movie follows the beloved Crawley family and their intrepid staff as they prepare for the most important moment of their lives: a royal visit from the King and Queen of England. The momentous occasion will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance.
Starring the original ensemble cast, including: Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Michael Fox, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Douglas Reith and Penelope Wilton, the Downton Abbey movie was the highest-grossing domestic film in Focus Features’ history. Written by series creator Julian Fellowes, who produced alongside Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge, the movie was lauded by press as “an immensely satisfying reunion” (Collider) and “devilishly difficult to resist” (Los Angeles Times). Guest stars also include Stephen Campbell-Moore, Imelda Staunton and Geraldine James.
The Downton Abbey movie is a Carnival Films production, originally distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures International. Carnival Films is a part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. The movie was directed by Michael Engler and the second motion picture film, Downton Abbey: A New Era, is set to be released in theaters next spring on March 18, 2022.
The award-winning Downton Abbey television series, which was a Carnival Films/ MASTERPIECE co-production, ran for six seasons. It was a runaway hit when it debuted on MASTERPIECE on PBS in 2011 and was widely credited with reigniting American viewers’ passion for British drama. It became the top PBS drama of all time, the most popular series in MASTERPIECE’s 50-year history, and one of the most-watched dramas on American television.
