A new report has revealed that the producers of Downton Abbey have “added an Oscar-nominee” to the cast of the third film.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the franchise is set to return after the major success of its two films.
A third film is now reportedly in the works and will pick off where the sequel left off, in the late 1920s.
An insider told The Sun: “This will be huge news for fans of the show who have remained just as addicted to Downton long after it went from telly drama to movie blockbuster.”
“There has been endless speculation about whether there would be a third movie and when it would be released, but finally devotees have had their prayers answered.”
“The first two films proved such a success that a third one seemed inevitable, but the biggest problem was the logistics of bringing the cast back together as their diaries are all so packed.”
Now, The Sun has reported that Paul Giamatti has reportedly joined the cast of Downton Abbey 3, as the team head into filming ahead of a 2025 release.
The 56-year-old actor is best known for his roles in Saving Private Ryan, Cinderella Man, 12 Years A Slave, The Planet of the Apes and most recently The Holdovers.
Paul went up against Cillian Murphy in the Best Actor category at this year’s Oscars for his role in the critically-acclaimed film.
A TV insider told the publication: “Downton fans will recognise Paul from the last time he starred in Downton Abbey in the 2013 TV series, playing Harold Levinson, the brother of the Countess of Grantham.”
“But getting him back is still something of a coup for the creative team because since then his career has seen him become even more in demand.”
“That’s only going to increase since he was nominated for his Best Actor Oscar. But he has now committed to being a part of the new Downton film.”
The first Downton movie was released in 2019, with Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern as central characters, the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and Laura Carmichael as their daughter, Lady Edith.
Along with Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess, they all returned in the 2022 sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era, which was set between the South of France and the stately home.
