Focus Features, Universal Pictures International and Carnival Films announce that global release dates will shift to late spring for the highly anticipated film sequel DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA. The film, previously dated for a March 18, 2022, will now launch in theaters exclusively in the UK on April 29, 2022 and in the US on May 20, 2022.
From award-winning creator Julian Fellowes comes the motion picture event DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA. The much-anticipated cinematic return of the global phenomenon reunites the beloved cast as they go on a grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.
The original principal cast have returned for the second film along with new additions Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West. The screenplay is written by Downton creator and Academy-Award® winner Julian Fellowes, with Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning Gareth Neame and Emmy Award-winning Liz Trubridge producingwith Fellowes. BAFTA and Emmy nominated Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn) is directing.
DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA is a Carnival Films production, with Focus Features and Universal Pictures International distributing. Carnival Films is part of NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.
ABOUT FOCUS FEATURES
Focus Features acquires and produces specialty films for the global market and holds a library of iconic movies, with 136 Academy Award Nominations and 26 wins from fearless filmmakers. Upcoming and current releases from Focus include Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain from acclaimed filmmaker Morgan Neville, the BAFTA® nominated Limbo from director Ben Sharrock, Edgar Wright’s supernatural thriller Last Night in Soho from Working Title and his documentary film debut The Sparks Brothers, Robert Eggers’ Viking epic The Northman starring Alexander Skaarsgard, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke and Björk, Justin Chon’s powerful drama Blue Bayou and the highly anticipated Downton Abbey 2 including the return of the original cast with new additions Dominic West, Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock and Nathalie Baye. Universal Pictures International has led distribution in select markets for titles including Last Night in Soho, Roadrunner, Blue Bayou, Tom McCarthy’s Stillwater starring Matt Damon, Paul Schrader’s thriller The Card Counter starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan and Willem Dafoe; Wolf starring George MacKay and Lily-Rose Depp, James Gray’s Armageddon Time starring Robert De Niro, Oscar Isaac, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, and Donald Sutherland; the supernatural horror You Won’t Be Alone, and Kenneth Branagh’s humorous, tender and intensely personal Belfast starring Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciaran Hinds and Jude Hill.
Focus is part of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), which produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television and other distribution platforms. UFEG’s global division also includes Universal Pictures, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and DreamWorks Animation. UFEG is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
For more information please visit www.focusfeatures.com
About Carnival Films
Carnival Films is a London-based television and feature film production company, and part of NBCUniversal International Studios, a division of Universal Studios Group. Led by executive chairman and producer Gareth Neame, the company is one of the UK’s leading drama producers, having produced hundreds of hours of compelling content viewed around the world.
Carnival Films produced all six seasons of the much honoured and beloved series Downton Abbey, which aired in over 250 territories worldwide and set a Guinness World Record for being the most critically well-received show in the world. The company produced the hit feature film of the same name which earned more than $193 million at the worldwide box office, making it the highest grossing film of all time for distributor Focus Features. Recent Carnival Films productions include The Last Kingdom for Netflix, Belgravia for ITV and EPIX and Jamestown and for Sky One.
Having received more than 200 international awards and honours including Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes and BAFTAs, Carnival has produced landmark series including Poirot, Hotel Babylon, Whitechapel and Dracula, as well as award-winning mini-series such as Traffik, Any Human Heart, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies and The Hollow Crown anthology. Carnival Films has also been recognized as the UK’s best production company at both the Bulldog and Broadcast Awards.
For more information please visit www.carnivalfilms.co.uk
