Downton Abbey has released its lavish first film poster for its anticipated movie sequel A New Era - and fans have all noticed the absence of one prominent character.
Sharing the poster on their official Instagram account, Downton captioned the image: "The legacy continues. Tune in to @TODAYshow on @nbc tomorrow morning for an exclusive look at the new trailer for #DowntonAbbey: A New Era!"
While fans wait patiently for the new trailer to arrive, they spotted that cast member Matthew Goode - who plays the husband of Michelle Dockery's Lady Mary Crawley, Henry Talbot, is missing from the poster.
"Nope. No Henry," one dismayed fan tweeted.
"I love Mary, Tom and lady Violet, but where is Henry Talbot?" another asked.
Goode's name doesn't appear on the film's IMDB page, but we'll have to await for official confirmation from the Downton camp about whether or not he will be returning.
Meanwhile, fans can look forward to the addition of new cast members Dominic West Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock and Call My Agent's Nathalie Baye. We can also look forward to the return of fan favourites such as Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley, Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley, and Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith.
Meanwhile, in a tweet shared on the official Downton Twitter account on Wednesday 26 January, it was revealed that the movie will now launch on 20 May in the US, more than two months later than the original date of 18 March.
"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," the announcement reads.
In the UK, it's being reported that we'll get to see the Crawleys in action a little earlier than this, as the film will debut in cinemas here on 29 April.
A teaser trailer for the new Downton Abbey was released back in November – and it looks predictably fabulous, so we reckon it'll be worth the wait. The clip gave us more of an insight into the plot, with the whole of the Crawley clan heading to the South of France. And it seems the big trip is all down to a romantic intrigue from the Dowager Countess of Grantham's (Maggie Smith) past...
In the trailer, Lady Violet reveals she has been given a villa by a mysterious man she knew before her son, Lord Grantham, was born. Enter stunning footage of the French Riviera, promising the next Downton instalment will be more glamorous than ever.
We also get a glimpse of another big event coming our way in the second film – the wedding of Tom Branson (Allen Leech) to new love interest Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton), who met in the first Downton film, which was released back in 2019.
Here's everything you need to know about the new Downton film, Downton Abbey: A New Era, including the cast, plot and release date...
Downton Abbey film: The plot
Once again, the screenplay has been written by award-winning Downton creator Julian Fellowes. The first film followed a royal visit to the Crawley family and Downton staff from the King and Queen, and ended with a dazzling ball.
Details about the plot of the new Downton film remain fairly hush hush for now, but we do know the Crawley family and the entire estate at Downton will be busy getting ready for the wedding of Tom Branson and Lucy Smith.
We also know that a trip to the South of France is on the cards, following Lady Violet's revelation that she has been gifted a villa by a man from her past.
Downton Abbey film: The cast
The cast of Downton is back for the film sequel, from Sophie McShera as Daisy and Lesley Nicol as Mrs Patmore, to Laura Carmichael's Lady Edith.
There will be lots of new additions to the film, however, including Laura Haddock (White Lines), Hugh Dancy (The Good Fight), Nathalie Baye (who you may recognise from French hit Call My Agent) and Dominic West (The Pursuit of Love).
Downton Abbey film: The release date
Although Downton Abbey: A New Era was set to debut in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 18 March 2022, the release has now been pushed back to 29 April 2022. In the US, the film will now be released on 20 May 2022.
Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released on 29 April 2022 in the UK and on 20 May in the US.
