Courtesy/PBS

It looks like all of those earlier reports months ago about a production being put together for Downton Abbey: The Movie, may finally becoming to fruition. Numerous items detail that motion picture project is moving forward with production slated for sometime next year.

Michael Edelstein, president at NBCUniversal International Studios, told the AP: “We are working on getting the script right and then we’ve got to figure out how to get the (cast) together. Because as you know, people go on and do other things. But we’re hopeful to make a movie sometime next year.”

Currently, the cast and writer Julian Fellowes have been on hand at the Downton Abbey exhibition which debuted in Singapore. However, some notable members of the company seemed surprised by the news including Laura Carmichael (Edith): “Well, tell my agent, because we’re still waiting to know. We’re hoping that will happen soon.”

Variety reports that an NBCUniversal spokesman confirmed the studio hopes to put the movie into production in 2018.

The Downton Abbey exhibition however, is set to travel to the United States and Australia with dates to be announced. (more…)

Courtesy/ITV

Nominations were announced this morning for the 23rd Annual SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards for performances in motion pictures and television.

The awards ill be handed out Sunday, January 29th at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live at 8/7c (5 p.m./PT) on both TBS and TNT.

For its sixth and final season, the British period soap, Downton Abbey once again made the finals in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama.  They will go up against, The Crown, Game of Thrones, Stranger Things and Westworld.  On the snub side: the widely acclaimed and highly-rated This Is Us failed to score a nomination in the category.

In addition, this is the first time that Dame Maggie Smith did not wind up with a Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination for her performance as the Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey. (more…)

Courtesy/MasterpiecePBSTwitter

Leave it to the grand dame Maggie Smith to have fun with Jimmy Kimmel’s rant last night on the 68th annual Daytime Emmy about how perennial winner Smith never is on-hand in Los Angeles on Emmy night to collect her trophy when he name is called!

Smith, who has been nominated 9 times for an Emmy and has won 4 overall and 3 of them for her work as the Dowager Countess on the beloved British period soap, Downton Abbey, used social media via the Masterpiece PBS Twitter account and shared her acceptance speech on Monday, alluding to Kimmel’s last gag about her during the live telecast.

For Minnie Driver and Michael Weatherly were presenting the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category, and when Smith was announced as the winner, and the duo were accepting the the award on Smith’s behalf, Kimmel came out from the wings and intercepted the trophy and let Smith know she has to retrieve it herself! Kimmel said, “No, no, no, no, no.  We’re not mailing this award to her. Maggie, if you want this it’ll be in the lost and found”.

Masterpiece PBS twitter shared, Dame MaggieSmith graciously accepts her #Emmy award — @jimmykimmel, please advise on the location of the lost and found! #DowntonPBS.

Smith’s acceptance speech read: “I was very astonished and pleased to win the award. I feel the Emmys has been overly generous to me. If Mr. Kimmel could please direct me to the lost and found office I will try and be on the next flight.”  She signed it, “Love, Old Maggie” (more…)