Downton Abbey fans are left in 'tears' after watching sequel A New Era
‘A rollercoaster of emotions!’ Downton Abbey fans reveal they are left in ‘tears’ after watching much-anticipated sequel A New Era
Downton Abbey fans have revealed that they were left in ‘tears’ after watching A New Era, the much-anticipated sequel film to the period drama.
Viewers flocked to Twitter to share their emotional reactions after watching the film, which was released in cinemas on Friday.
Many fans admitted that they were left both laughing and crying as they went through a ‘rollercoaster of the emotions’, while others expressed their surprise at how ‘sad’ the storyline was.
Emotional: Downton Abbey fans were left in ‘tears’ after watching A New Era. Pictured: Dame Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot
One fan wrote: ‘Just watched Downton Abbey A New Era. As expected – absolutely loved it! Such a feel-good film (a few tears too!)’
Another penned: ‘Just wow! There was laughter and there was tears. A new era indeed #DowntonAbbeyANewEra.’
A third tweeted: ‘Watched this evening laughter and tears thank you.’
And a fourth said: ‘Back with old friends from #DowntonAbbey tonight. South of France, Hollywood, laughter & tears…felt like the closing chapter of a beloved story. Bloody Marvellous!’
‘Sad’: Viewers flocked to Twitter to share their emotional reactions after watching the film, which was released in cinemas on Friday. Pictured: Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot
While a fifth added: ‘Just home from watching the first screening and boy was it a rollercoaster of the emotions and i was in tears at one point, great round up of the characters.’
A sixth commented: ‘Just come back from the new Downton Abbey movie, it’s actually really sad.’
Another wrote: ‘I have just got back from watching Downton Abbey, it was funny, sad and really enjoyable.’
Downton Abbey: A New Era received exceptional reviews after its cinema release on Friday, with the Daily Mail’s Brian Viner describing it as ‘the gift that keeps on giving’.
Tearful: Many fans admitted that they were left both laughing and crying as they went through a ‘rollercoaster of the emotions’, while others expressed their surprise at how ‘sad’ it was
He wrote: ‘There’s a birth, a death, a proposal, and a spot of disputed paternity, with all loose ends tied as neatly as if Mr Carson himself had attended to them.
‘There are also some genuine chuckles, and a few shamelessly derivative storylines…Downton is the gift that keeps on giving.’
Fans were eagerly awaiting the latest Downton Abbey instalment, which saw the Crawley family head to the South of France to uncover a mystery at a villa bestowed to Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, while an ambitious director planned to make a film at Downton.
The trailer shows the Crawley family heading to the South of France to uncover a mystery at a villa bestowed to Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, while an ambitious director plans to make a film at Downton.
It opens as fan favourite Violet [Dame Maggie], says: ‘I’ve come into the possession of villa in the South of France.’
Movie: The sequel sees the return of the much-loved cast as the Crawley family head to the South of France to uncover a mystery at a villa
She continues: ‘Years ago, before you were born. I met a man.’
It then transpires Dowager Grantham and her lover ‘spent a few days together and he gave her a house’.
The upcoming sequel will see the return of the much-loved cast including Hugh, Michelle and Penelope Wilton.
And it looks like there could be trouble in paradise for Lady Mary (Michelle) as she talks about the struggles of marriage in the trailer.
Lady Mary is seen talking to Hugh’s character, saying: ‘You don’t need me to tell you that marriage is a novel full of plot twists along the way.’
The trailer also shows estate becoming the setting for a film and a slim mustached Dominic, who plays an 1920s Hollywood actor, becomes quite the heartthrob among the staff.
One of the cooks says: ‘There is something about him, he’s like a wild animal ready to spring.’
Mister Barber, a producer and director, begins to shoot the film – but Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) isn’t impressed by the fanfare.
‘I think its a horrible idea. Actresses plastered in make-up and actors just plastered,’ he says as the scene shifts to the Hollywood cast interrupting the day-to-day life in Downton.
Joking: Meanwhile, Hugh Bonneville revealed he thought Maggie Smith’s character on Downton Abbey was ‘going to die between films’ while opening up about her return
The trailer also hints that fans will finally get to see widower Tom Branson find love again with maid Lucy Smith, as the pair tie the knot in romantic scenes.
Meanwhile, Hugh Bonneville revealed he thought Maggie Smith’s character on Downton Abbey was ‘going to die between films’ while opening up about her return to the big screen.
The actor, who plays Robert Crawley in the period drama and the new sequel film, appeared on Magic Radio Breakfast on Friday morning to chat about the new film release.
Hugh, 59, also spoke about rumours that this could be Maggie’s last acting hurrah – admitting she says she’s ‘done’ every-time but always comes back.
Return: Hugh, 59, also spoke about rumours that this could be Maggie’s last acting hurrah – admitting she says she’s ‘done’ every-time but always comes back
During the chat, Hugh explained: ‘I thought she was going to die between films frankly, but there she is, pops up again like a bad penny and being absolutely spot on as usual.’
The actor also jested that the 87-year-old star has ‘all the best lines’, as he continued: ‘Every iteration of the show is the ‘that’s the last time, that’s it I’m done’ and there she is again.
‘She is on fantastic form in this and as usual has all the best lines and we don’t begrudge her those.’
Maggie previously announced that the sixth season of Downton Abbey, which ended up being the last season of the show all together, would be her last – but returned for the big screen sequel this year.
Downton creator Julian Fellowes previously teased some details about the movie, which is based on the acclaimed TV series.
Cast: The sequel saw the return of the much-loved cast including Hugh, Michelle and Penelope Wilton (L-R) Samantha Bond, Douglas Reith, Harry Hadden-Paton, Laura Carmichael, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Penelope Wilton, Robert James Collier and Michael Fox
Speaking about the project, Julian shared: ‘It’s really a new era. The further the ’20s went along, the more the world was changing in so many ways. Everything from entertainment to transport was really different by the end of the ’20s. That’s what we’re referring to in that.’
Julian sees the Downton films as an extension of the hit TV series, which ran for six seasons between 2010 and 2015, and he explained that the new movie will pick up from where the 2019 film ended.
He said: ‘As we know from the last film, Mary may not be the titular head of the household, but she is effectively running the show. We take that further.
‘We’re trying to mark the change – the fact that Crawleys of Downton are nearly in the 1930s, which is merely the beginning of the modern world.’
Downton Abbey: A New Era – What the critics are saying…
THE GUARDIAN
Rating: 
Peter Bradshaw writes: ‘The second – and hopefully last – film spun off from Julian Fellowes’s successful TV series is as hammy, silly, and undeniably entertaining as ever… It is all cheerfully risible although heading for a note of seriousness to compare with what Wagner was aiming for with Siegfried’s Funeral March.’
The luxury soap opera’s second feature-length spin-off ticks all the right boxes
THE TELEGRAPH
Rating: 
Robbie Collin writes: ‘The luxury soap opera’s second feature-length spin-off ticks all the right boxes… Like the first Downton Abbey film, A New Era is built like easy television: Downton itself bustles divertingly, while the French scenes radiate a nourishingly escapist cream and cerulean glow.’
DAILY MAIL
Brian Viner writes: ‘There’s a birth, a death, a proposal, and a spot of disputed paternity, with all loose ends tied as neatly as if Mr Carson himself had attended to them. There are also some genuine chuckles, and a few shamelessly derivative storylines…Downton is the gift that keeps on giving.’
VARIETY
Peter Debruge writes: ‘Fellowes gives us an affectionate group hug, which is effectively what these encore visits amount to.’
DEADLINE
Anna Smith writes: ‘With more plot turns than half a dozen episodes, A New Era crams a lot into its running time, and its manipulations can be quite transparent. But it’s hard to resent them when it so clearly achieves its mission. After all, as Molesley says: We all need dreams.’
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
David Rooney writes: ‘Despite the promise of sweeping change in its title, A New Era is very much more of the same, which will be just fine with devotees of the long-running PBS hit.’
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