The third Downton Abbey movie will include a heartfelt tribute to the late Dame Maggie Smith.

In a recent interview , executive producer Gareth Neame revealed that the untitled A New Era sequel, set to premiere in theaters in September 2025, will feature a special homage to Smith’s iconic character, Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham. The tribute was always intended to honor the character’s death, which occurred in the previous film.

“With Dame Maggie’s passing since then, it has added a profound poignancy to a story we had already planned,” Neame shared.