‘Abbey’ — rebirth on big screen
A “Downton Abbey” movie is in the works, with production likely to begin in 2018, an NBCUniversal executive said Wednesday in Singapore.
Michael Edelstein, president at NBCUniversal International Studios, said it hopes to assemble 20 cast members from the popular TV series.
“There’s a movie in the works,” Edelstein said at a red-carpet event for “Downton Abbey: The Exhibition,” which features costumes, locations and never-before-seen footage from the PBS television show that concluded in 2015.
“We are working on getting the script right, and then we’ve got to figure out how to get the (cast) together,” Edelstein said.
Cast members at the exhibition said they were not aware of the movie.
“Oh, well you’ve got confirmation before us. We have no idea if that’s happening,” said Sophie McShera, who played assistant cook Daisy Mason. “But we would all love to be part of the film if it was to happen, for sure.”
Laura Carmichael, who played Lady Edith Crawley in the series, quipped: “Well, tell my agent, because we’re still waiting to know. We’re hoping that will happen soon.”
Writer and series creator Julian Fellowes also said he hoped a film would be made: “I think we’ve got a film in us. I hope it happens.”
The young Han Solo film is suddenly without a director. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said Tuesday that the “Star Wars” spinoff is parting ways with directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller due to different creative visions.
Singeractor Kris Kristofferson is 81. Singer Todd Rundgren is 69. Actress Meryl Streep is 68. Actress Lindsay Wagner is 68. Singer Cyndi Lauper is 64. Actress Amy Brenneman is 53.