Downton Abbey 2 FIRST LOOK: Teaser transports fans back to 1920s

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A teaser trailer for the Downton Abbey movie sequel was released on Wednesday, transporting fans back to the 1920s.

The fifteen second clip features sweeping views of the famed fictional Yorkshire estate and fan favourites Lady Mary Crawley and Tom Branson make an appearance, played by Michelle Dockery and Allan Leech respectively.

Other Downton Abbey: A New Era scenes teased included members of the Crawley family looking stylish while stepping out for a game of tennis and a striking speedboat whizzing across a body of water.

The teaser was also shared on Downton Abbey’s official social media pages alongside a caption that read: ‘The teaser trailer for #DowntonAbbey: A New Era will be exclusively in theaters on @belfastmovie this weekend.’

As specified on Twitter, a longer trailer will be released in cinemas this weekend.

It will be available to audiences watching Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film inspired by the BAFTA winner’s early childhood growing up in Northern Ireland surrounded by a large extended family.

A series of stills were also released on Wednesday.

In one, Robert Crawley (played by Hugh Bonneville) and his daughter, Dockery’s Lady Mary, stand at the top of their grand staircase.

Another shows Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton), Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton) and Tom Branson (Allen Leech) walking to a game of tennis while Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock) can be stepping out of a car in another.

The teaser trailer’s release follows news that the sequel had its release date pushed back by three months. 

The period drama had been due to hit screens around the Christmas period, but the release date has been delayed until March 18, 2022, it was reported in July.

The screenplay is by Downton Abbey creator and Oscar winner Julian Fellowes and BAFTA and Emmy nominated Simon Curtis is directing.

Little is known about the upcoming movie, but it has been confirmed that Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West have joined the cast.

Although some scenes are filmed in studios and at different locations, the cast and crew spent much of their time at Highclere Castle – which is the home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnavaron, whose family have lived there since 1679.

The Countess of Carnarvon welcomed the decision to film the sequel at Highclere, explaining that even though it provides her with plenty of extra work, the hustle and bustle bring the castle ‘alive’.

She told The Daily Mail that when filming was taking place — from February to June for each of the six series of Downton and an additional one-off two months for the film — she was flat out.

Constantly in the wings, showing crew how to move furniture — ‘you take a girl in your arms and a chair by its bottom’ — and reminding people to wipe their feet and respect the carpets.

Yet, despite all the palaver, Lady Carnarvon is thrilled. ‘We all got very used to each other. We had a good routine. It was like a new term at school — ‘here they come!’

‘After all, a house like this is used to being busy, to being full of life. It comes alive with people and without them things go wrong.’

Downton Abbey: A New Era picks up where the first film left off. 

The Downton Abbey movie saw beloved characters Robert (Hugh) and Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) told that they will be visited by the King and Queen and the estate have to prepare for the royal visit.

However the family have to deal with a number of set backs and problems along the way including a suspected assassin attempt.

Although the sequel’s plot has been kept under wraps, creator Julian did tell People magazine this week: ‘It’s really a new era. The further the 20s went along, the more the world was changing in so many ways. 

‘Everything from entertainment to transport was really different by the end of the 20s. That’s what we’re referring to in that.’

He added: ‘As we know from the last film, Mary may not be the titular head of the household, but she is effectively running the show. We take that further.’

It was reported in August that an iconic character will be killed off in in the sequel.

The death is said to be ‘so poignant’ and fans of the Crawley family will no doubt be fearing for Dame Maggie Smith’s aging character Dowager Countess.

The Sun reported at the time: ‘Those who have seen the scenes said they are so emotional.’ 

A source added to the paper: ‘They really will leave fans in floods. It’s heartbreak at Highclere Castle and there won’t be a dry eye in cinemas.’

Julian created the original series that aired on PBS, which ran for six seasons from 2010 to 2016. 

The show followed the lives of the Crawley family, who own a sprawling English countryside estate in the early 20th Century, and their servants.