Overview

• The film is now in theaters and presented as the capstone to the 15-year Downton Abbey saga.
• The late Dame Maggie Smith does not appear, and the production memorializes her using repurposed footage rather than digital recreation.
• Hugh Bonneville tells Entertainment Weekly he disliked delivering a line that echoed one of Smith’s famous quips, while noting the movie’s many nods to earlier seasons.
• Assessments vary, with some reviewers praising a warm send-off and others labeling the finale undercooked and overly reliant on fan service.
• Elizabeth McGovern says she is proud of the movie and calls it their best yet, sharing memories of cast music sessions that included Michelle Dockery and Michael C. Fox.