An iconic character will be killed off in Downton Abbey’s much-anticipated movie sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era, according to reports.
The death is said to be ‘so poignant’ and fans of the Crawley family will no doubt be fearing for Dame Maggie Smith’s aging character Dowager Countess.
Emotional scenes penned by series creator and scriptwriter Julian Fellowes have already been filmed, with sources saying they ‘really will leave fans in floods’.
Iconic death: An iconic character will be killed off in Downton Abbey’s much-anticipated movie sequel, Downton Abbey: A New Era, according to reports
The Sun reports: ‘Those who have seen the scenes said they are so emotional.’
A source added to the paper: ‘They really will leave fans in floods. It’s heartbreak at Highclere Castle and there won’t be a dry eye in cinemas.
MailOnline has reached out to representatives for writer Fellowes for comment alongside ITV and Focus Features.
The news comes a day after it was revealed that the sequel to 2019’s Downton Abbey movie would be titled A New Era.
Fan fears: The death is said to be ‘so poignant’ and fans of the Crawley family will no doubt be fearing for Dame Maggie Smith’s aging character Dowager Countess
Focus Features shared the news while also showing a teaser for the upcoming film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, revealing the entire cast will be returning.
Bosses also announced that the Crawley family and their servants will welcome several newcomers to their stately home as Laura Haddock, Dominic West and Hugh Dancy have joined the cast.
The brief teaser featured the Crawley family and various members of the staff preparing for an overseas journey, according to Deadline.
Jim Carter’s Mr. Carson is heard saying, ‘The British are coming,’ with the footage also seemingly teasing a wedding.
Coming soon: Downton Abbey’s much-anticipated movie sequel will be titled Downton Abbey: A New Era, it was announced on Wednesday
The principal cast including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Laura Charmichael are all slated to return.
New additions to the cast include Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West, though no details were given for their characters.
Downton Abbey series creator Fellowes co-wrote the screenplay with Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge, with Simon Curtis directing.
Fellowes created the original series that aired on PBS, which ran for six seasons from 2010 to 2016.
Exciting: Focus Features shared the news while also showing a teaser for the upcoming film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas , revealing the entire cast will be returning to reprise their roles
New face: It was also announced that Dominic West will join the cast, though the nature of his role is yet to be revealed
Glamorous: White Lines star Laura Haddock has also joined the cast of the period sequel
New faces: Hugh Dancy (left) and Nathalie Baye have also joined the film’s star-studded cast, though further details about their roles are yet to be revealed
The show followed the lives of the Crawley family, who own a sprawling English countryside estate in the early 20th Century, and their servants.
Although some scenes are filmed in studios and at different locations, the cast and crew spend much of their time at Highclere Castle – which is the home of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnavaron, whose family have lived there since 1679.
The cast reunited for the Downton Abbey movie in 2019, which continued the story from where the series left off.
The film saw beloved characters Robert (Hugh) and Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) told that they will be visited by the King and Queen and the estate have to prepare for the royal visit.
However the family have to deal with a number of set backs and problems along the way including a suspected assassin attempt.
The movie was a surprise hit at the box office, earning $96.8 million domestic and $237.8 million worldwide, from just a $13 million budget.
Family: The show followed the lives of the Crawley family, who own a sprawling English countryside estate in the early 20th Century, and their servants