Downton Abbey 3 will pay homage to Maggie Smith

“It's the end of an era. We'll never see Dame Maggie Smith the same way again.”

Over the six seasons of Downton Abbeyfrom 2010 to 2015, the role of Violet Crawley earned Maggie Smith three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe. While the team is currently preparing the third film derived from this period dramaone of its producers, Gareth Neame, reveals to TVLine that everyone would like to pay tribute to the British actress, who died last September.

Harry Potter students say goodbye to Maggie Smith and Professor McGonagall

Fans of the hit show know it (for others watch out for spoilers in the following paragraph), the second film entitled A new eraended with the death of the countess. A tribute to the character was therefore planned for Simon Curtis' third opus, which is scheduled for release on September 12, 2025, and the producer explains that this tribute will now extend to the actress herself.

“The fact that Dame Maggie herself has since passed away, I think it gave a poignancy to a story that we would have anticipated anywayconsiders Neame. The loss of the dowager is much more meaningful when the actors play characters who are mourning the matriarch of the family. I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it seems more authentic.”

Shortly after Maggie Smith's death, he had already mentioned her disappearance as “the end of an era”. He adds today:

“We will never see Dame Maggie Smith in the same way again. The entire cast and crew of Downton Abbey have immense respect for her… which will be reflected in the upcoming film.”

Downton Abbey: the best lines from Countess Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith)