Fans are left disheartened after Downton Abbey: A New Era is pushed back further into the spring   

The highly-anticipated Downton Abbey: A New Era has been pushed back from its original release date of March 18.

The update was announced via the historical drama’s official Twitter profile on Wednesday evening, in a post that read: ‘ Away we go! #DowntonAbbey: A New Era will be setting sail a little later this year. The motion picture event is coming to theaters May 20th.’

UK fans of the long-running show won’t have to wait quite as long, with the feature now set to hit cinemas on April 29. 

Disappointment was the consensus among the tweet’s reply. 

‘NOOO IM GONNA CRY’, one heartbroken fan wrote, alongside a gif of an infant wailing. 

A second disheartened tweet read: ‘WHY????????????? march was perfect’. 

A third fan questioned whether they would be able to wait until the new date in May. 

Gutted: The update was announced via the historical drama’s official Twitter profile on Wednesday evening – and disappointment was the consensus among the tweet’s reply

The upcoming sequel will see the cast – which includes the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton and Michelle Dockery – travel to the south of France to uncover a mystery at a villa.

Downton creator Julian Fellowes previously teased some details about the movie, which is based on the acclaimed TV series.

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.’  

Update: UK fans of the long-running show won’t have to wait quite as long, with the feature now set to hit cinemas on April 29

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.’ 

The first trailer for the Downton Abbey: A New Era, has been released, offering a glimpse at a brand new adventure for the Crawleys as they travel to a lavish villa in France.

The preview shows the famous family and their army of servants travelling to the unexpected location after learning that the Dowager Countess has inherited the estate from a former lover.

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. 

Coming soon! The first trailer for the Downton Abbey: A New Era, has been released, offering a glimpse at a brand new adventure for the Crawleys as they travel to a lavish villa in France

The trailer opens with a sweeping shot of the iconic Yorkshire estate before Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (played by Maggie Smith) drops a bombshell on the family, including her son Robert (Hugh Bonneville), his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), and their daughters Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael).

She tells them: ‘Years ago before you were born I met a man and now I’ve come into the possession of a villa in the south of France,’ while butler Carson (Jim Carter) is seen discovering a historic portrait of Violent as a beautiful young woman before quickly showing it to the family. 

Given the acquitisition of a luxurious property in the sprawling countryside, the Crawleys immediately decide to take a trip to the villa, but only after attending Tom’s wedding to young maid Lucy, after he was left devasted by the death of his first wife, Lady Sybil.

Wedding bells! The preview also shows widower Tom Branson finally discovering happiness again, as he ties the knot with maid Lucy Smith who he met in the first film

Shocking: The trailer features the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley sharing that she’s inherited a villa in France for a male suitor who has passed away

Surprise! Intercut with the Dowager’s unexpected news, Carson discovers a portrait of the younger aristocrat and shares it with the family

Love is in the air! In Downton fashion there’s a wedding to be had (L-R Richard Grey and his wife Isobel, Lady Rosamund Painswick, Lady Mary, her son George and daughter Caroline, Lady Maud Bagshaw, Tom Branson and his wife Lucy, his daughter Sybbie, Robert Crawley and his wife Cora, Lady Edith, her husband Herbert Pelham and daughter Marigold)

The pair struck up a romance in the first Downton Abbey movie, after he learned Lucy was actually the secret illegitimate daughter of Baroness Bagshaw. 

Tom and Lucy can be seen sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, with the Crawley family posing for beaming snaps ahead of the lavish nuptials.

Along with a sprawling shot of the stunning French villa, the trailer also offers a glimpse of newcomer Laura Haddock, playing a glamorous platinum blonde beauty confidently strutting into the house to the delight of the attending servants.

Returning: As ever all of Downton’s beloved downstairs staff are expected to appear in the film, including Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) and her husband John (Brendan Coyle) (pictured)

Wow! The family then journey to the jaw-dropping French villa, and quickly throw themselves into the party scene with a swanky outdoor banquet

New face: Leading stars set to join the Downton cast for this sequel is Laura Haddock as Myrna Dalgleish, and fans received their first glimpse of her character in the trailer as she struts into Downton accompanied by servants

Teaser: Carson notes to his wife Elsie: ‘They better be warned… the British are coming’ as the family prepare for an unexpected trip overseas

As ever all of Downton’s beloved staff are expected to appear in the film, including Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt), Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), Elsie Hughes (Phyllis Logan), young Daisy Mason (Sophie McShera) and John Bates (Brendan Coyle).

Clearly enjoying their break away from the English estate, both Robert and Cora are seen enjoying a ride on a yacht, while Carson notes to his wife Elsie: ‘They better be warned… the British are coming.’

The trailer ends with one of the Dowager’s signature lines, as she tells her family: ‘And with that I will say good night and leave you to discuss my mysterious past.’

Savage: The trailer ends with one of the Dowager’s signature lines, as she tells her family: ‘And with that I will say good night and leave you to discuss my mysterious past’

New love: Tom struck up a romance with maid Lucy, the secret illegitimate daughter of Baroness Bagshaw, following the tragic death of his first wife Lady Sybil

After a failed romance with teacher Sarah Bunting, the Irishman fell for Miss Smith, but faced resistance from the Crawley family.

Fans were left wondering what would become of the couple after Miss Smith’s identity was revealed in the first film.   

Other Downton Abbey: A New Era scenes teased included members of the Crawley family looking stylish while stepping out for a game of tennis and a striking speedboat whizzing across a body of water. 

Release: Last week, along with a fifteen second teaser, fans got their first glimpse at the film through a series of still images, includign one of Lord Grantham and his daughter Mary 

The teaser was also shared on Downton Abbey’s official social media pages alongside a caption that read: ‘The teaser trailer for #DowntonAbbey: A New Era will be exclusively in theaters on @belfastmovie this weekend.’

As specified on Twitter, a longer trailer will be released in cinemas this weekend.

It will be available to audiences watching Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical film inspired by the BAFTA winner’s early childhood growing up in Northern Ireland surrounded by a large extended family.

A series of stills were also released on Wednesday.

Wow: The fifteen second clip features sweeping views of the famed fictional Yorkshire estate

Striking: Other Downton Abbey: A New Era scenes teased included a striking speedboat whizzing across a body of water

In one, Robert Crawley (played by Hugh Bonneville) and his daughter, Dockery’s Lady Mary, stand at the top of their grand staircase.

Another shows Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton), Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), Lucy and Tom walking to a game of tennis while Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock) can be stepping out of a car in another.

The teaser trailer’s release follows news that the sequel had its release date pushed back by three months. 

The period drama had been due to hit screens around the Christmas period, but the release date has been delayed until March 18, 2022, it was reported in July.

Tennis: One still shows Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton), Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton) and Tom Branson (Allen Leech) walking to a game of tennis

The screenplay is by Downton Abbey creator and Oscar winner Julian Fellowes and BAFTA and Emmy nominated Simon Curtis is directing.

Little is known about the upcoming movie, but it has been confirmed that Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West have joined the cast.

Although some scenes are filmed in studios and at different locations, the cast and crew spent 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 Countess of Carnarvon welcomed the decision to film the sequel at Highclere, explaining that even though it provides her with plenty of extra work, the hustle and bustle bring the castle ‘alive’.

Delayed release: The period drama had been due to hit screens around the Christmas period, but the release date has been delayed until March 18, 2022

She told The Daily Mail that when filming was taking place — from February to June for each of the six series of Downton and an additional one-off two months for the film — she was flat out.

Constantly in the wings, showing crew how to move furniture — ‘you take a girl in your arms and a chair by its bottom’ — and reminding people to wipe their feet and respect the carpets.

Yet, despite all the palaver, Lady Carnarvon is thrilled. ‘We all got very used to each other. We had a good routine. It was like a new term at school — ‘here they come!’

‘After all, a house like this is used to being busy, to being full of life. It comes alive with people and without them things go wrong.’

Downton Abbey: A New Era picks up where the first film left off. 

The Downton Abbey movie 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.

Photographer: In one part of the teaser, a photographer captures an image using a vintage camera 

Although the sequel’s plot has been kept under wraps, creator Julian did tell People magazine this week: ‘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.’

He added: ‘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.’

It was reported in August that an iconic character will be killed off in in the sequel.

Iconic death: An iconic character will be killed off in Downton Abbey’s much-anticipated movie sequel, 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.

The Sun reported at the time: ‘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.’

Julian created the original series that aired on PBS, which ran for six seasons from 2010 to 2016. 

The show followed the lives of the Crawley family, who own a sprawling English countryside estate in the early 20th Century, and their servants. 

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