The third and final film in the Downton Abbey Trilogy, itself an expansion of the long running British TV series of the same name, hoves into view. Presumably capping off the saga of the aristocratic Crawley family, the film takes us into the 1930s, when the world was dealing with the rise of fascism, and I’m a bit over noting how timely that subject seems these days.
How to watch Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale in New Zealand
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale arrives in New Zealand cinemas on September 11, 2025.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
What is Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale about?
That is a difficult question, given the sprawling, generational saga it caps off. Honestly, if you’ve never watched an episode, you’re out of luck.
Even the Wikipedia notes are more complicated than The Silmarillion. We can say that it’s written by OG Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, directed by Simon Curtis (Goodbye Christopher Robin), and that “as the beloved cast of characters navigates how to lead Downton Abbey into the future, they must embrace change and welcome a new chapter.” Which could mean anything.
There’s always a chance Edward VIII could show up, either before or after his abdication, and make the dinner conversation uncomfortable when he starts praising Hitler, but that’s pure speculation.
The cast of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Hugh Bonneville is Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham; Laura Carmichael is Edith Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham; Jim Carter is Charles Carson; Raquel Cassidy is Phyllis Baxter; Paul Copley is Albert Mason; Brendan Coyle is John Bates; Michelle Dockery is Lady Mary Talbot; Kevin Doyle is Joseph Molesley; Michael Fox is Andy Parker; Joanne Froggatt is Anna Bates; and Paul Giamatti is Harold Levinson.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale trailer
Why we’re excited about Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
I can’t imagine walking into this one cold and getting much out of it. But if you’re a devoted fan of the various dramas that play out in the titular abbey, I’d say this is unmissable.
