Downton Abbey concluded its beloved six-season run back in 2015 and the show’s popularity has remained evergreen since then, particularly given the success of the two theatrical offerings that followed up the adventures of the Crawley family and their domestic servants. Four years later, a film by the same name arrived and grossed nearly $200 million off a budget of around a tenth of that, while its sequel entitled A New Era was also successful in 2022. Now, it seems as if the Downton story isn’t yet over, with evidence suggesting that a seventh season of the critically acclaimed series may well be on its way.

A listing on Production Weekly—a resource for professionals working in the film and television industries informing them of upcoming projects—earlier this month noted ‘DOWNTON ABBEY 07’ was in the works. That, in itself, is not much to crow about, but the behavior of the Highclere Castle social media accounts would give way to some more intriguing speculation. Last week, the account posted a reel with the caption, “If you have to keep a secret, you must keep it secret that you have a secret to keep.”

Accompanying that was a number of hashtags which included Downton Abbey, filming, behind the scenes, and various other production-related jargon. The fact a picture of Thomas Barrow—the popular butler from the series, played by Robert James-Collier—was in the frame was certainly suspicious too. Highclere Castle does have public programming themed around the series, which is why there are numerous pictures of the series throughout the estate, but the framing of the video seems too on the nose, given the swirling rumors. Lastly, the account also added to its story an image of the castle with the caption, “Highclere Castle or Downton Abbey??”. Subtlety may not be the account’s strongest attribute, but it certainly is exciting.

While it seems as though something is happening at Highclere Castle when it has been closed to the public this month, it is unclear if filming has begun. As of yet, there has been no credible evidence that casting has taken place for cast outside of the core group. Once that does happen, Downton Abbey‘s mysterious project likely won’t be under wraps for long.

What Is ‘Downton Abbey’ All About?

Downton Abbey is a British historical drama series that follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants during the early 20th century. Set in a fictional Yorkshire country estate, the series spans from the post-Edwardian era, through the First World War, and into the 1920s, exploring the social hierarchy, family dynamics, and historical events of the time. It delves into themes of class, love, betrayal, and ambition, against the backdrop of significant historical events and the changing social landscape of Britain. Amid a sprawling ensemble cast, the show has featured the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens, Matthew Goode, Lily James, Rose Leslie, Eliabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton, and Maggie Smith, to name but a very small few.

While confirmation of the return of Downton Abbey is certainly not yet official, it seems like only a matter of time before the mystery is solved. Stay tuned to Collider for further details. Downton Abbey is available to stream now via Netflix.

via Collider