Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a 2025 historical drama film directed by Simon Curtis from a screenplay by Julian Fellowes. It is the sequel to Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) and the third and final film in the Downton Abbey franchise. Many of the original franchise's cast members, who also appeared in the previous two films, return. Paul Giamatti and Dominic West reprise their roles as Harold Levinson from the television series and Guy Dexter from the previous film, respectively, while Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan join the cast.
Imelda Staunton, who portrays Maud, Lady Bagshaw in the previous film, stated in March 2024 that a third and final film in the Downton Abbey franchise was being planned, with the main cast set to return. Following the announcement of several cast members reprising their roles in May, filming began that month and concluded in August, with a net budget of $50 million. The official title was announced in March 2025.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale was released by Focus Features on 12 September 2025. The film received positive reviews from critics and has grossed $103.5 million worldwide. After the film's digital release, it peaked at number one on the UK Film Chart, going on to spend twenty-three weeks on the chart's Top 100; the film also peaked at number one for five weeks on the UK DVD chart.
Contents
Plot
In 1930 London, Lord and Lady Grantham, and their daughter and son-in-law, Edith and Bertie Pelham (aka Lord and Lady Hexham), attend a play starring Guy Dexter and Noël Coward, who is also the playwright. Backstage, they meet Dexter, Coward, and former Downton Abbey butler Thomas Barrow, now Dexter's personal assistant and lover. The next day, the Crawley family, including eldest daughter Mary, attend a ball given by Bertie's cousin Lady Petersfield. When news suddenly breaks about Mary's divorce from her estranged husband, Henry Talbot, Lady Petersfield insists that Mary leave before her guests of honour, Prince Arthur of Connaught and his wife, arrive.
Robert and Cora return to Downton Abbey; Mary remains at Grantham House to receive Cora's brother, Harold Levinson, arriving from America following their mother Martha's death. Accompanying Harold is financial adviser Gus Sambrook, who reportedly saved Harold from financial ruin from the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Sambrook and Mary are mutually attracted, drink heavily, and end up in bed together. The party travels to Downton Abbey, where Harold, to Cora's dismay, reveals that he lost their mother's fortune on poor investments during the Great Depression. He wants to invest Downton's remaining assets to recoup his losses and repay his debt to Sambrook.
Mary's divorce causes Downton neighbours to shun the Crawleys and decline a dinner invitation. Robert, still reeling from Mary's failed marriage and Harold's poor judgement, opposes Mary's suggestion to sell Grantham House in London to raise capital. When the family rejects Sambrook's proposal to invest Downton's income, he attempts to blackmail Mary regarding their liaison. Meanwhile, Tom Branson arrives with his daughter, Sybbie, in a show of support and offers to lend his father-in-law money from the sale of his business with Henry Talbot. Robert is touched by the gesture but declines.
At Royal Ascot, an acquaintance informs Tom that Sambrook is a fraudster who swindled other people's fortunes and recently avoided imprisonment. Deducing that Sambrook embezzled the Levinson wealth, Tom warns the Crawleys and Harold. Edith confronts Sambrook, forcing him to leave. Before departing, Sambrook has a final confrontation with Mary. A remorseful Harold reconciles with Cora before returning to America.
Dexter, Coward and Barrow are invited to Downton Abbey, which Edith and Cora see as an opportunity to rehabilitate Mary's reputation. They ask the servants to spread news about the impending visit in the village. Mr Molesley, now a full-time screenwriter, returns as a footman for the dinner, hoping Dexter and Coward will notice him. Molesley is disappointed when Dexter fails to remember him, though Coward is impressed that Molesley wrote The Gambler screenplay. Molesley's spirits are lifted when, after chatting with Coward, he inadvertently provides the title for Coward's upcoming play, Private Lives, which is inspired by Mary's divorce. The dinner is a success, and the Crawleys are again viewed favourably. Daisy Parker, now Downton's head cook following Mrs Patmore's retirement, prepares the dinner.
Cast
A scene at the end of the film features credited, archival cameos by Dame Maggie Smith, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Brown Findlay as Violet (Dowager Countess of Grantham), Matthew Crawley, and Lady Sybil Crawley, respectively.
Production
In March 2024, Imelda Staunton, who portrayed Maud, Lady Bagshaw in the film Downton Abbey: A New Era, confirmed that a third and final film in the Downton Abbey franchise was being planned, with the main cast returning. In May, Paul Giamatti and Dominic West were announced to be reprising their roles as Harold Levinson and Guy Dexter respectively, alongside Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan in undisclosed roles. On 27 March 2025, the title was revealed as Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. John Lunn returned to score music for The Grand Finale after previously doing the same for the television series and its film continuation.
Filming
Principal photography began on 13 May 2024 and wrapped in August.
Release
On 8 September 2025, the film premiered in London and New York City. On 10 September 2025, NBC aired Downton Abbey Celebrates the Grand Finale to promote the film. The television special, which was filmed at London's Savoy Hotel, reunited the cast for a look back at the legacy of the television series and also included an exclusive preview of the film. On 11 September 2025, the film was released next in Italy and Australia. On 12 September 2025, the film was generally released to all remaining cinemas. On 19 September 2025, the film was released in Norway.
Home media
As part of Focus Features' long-term deal with Amazon Prime Video, the film streamed on Peacock beginning on 7 November 2025, before moving to Prime Video for the next ten, and returning to Peacock for the remaining four.
Reception
Box office
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale grossed $44.96 million in the United States and Canada, and $58.5 million in other countries, for a worldwide total of $103.5 million.
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 143 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Soothing as a cup of tea while providing a satisfying amount of closure, The Grand Finale is a worthy sendoff for Downton Abbey." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 66 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood wrote that Fellowes had "created such a memorable group of characters it is hard to finally say goodbye to them", opining that the "witty and wise finale" is a "goodbye worth saying".