‘The script is there’: Jim Carter confirms Downton Abbey cast have already read the screenplay for film sequel… and shooting begins in 2021
Downton Abbey star Jim Carter has confirmed plans for a second feature length film are well underway – and the cast have already read a completed script.
The actor spent five hugely successful years playing resident butler Charles Carson in the ITV show before it went off air in 2015.
But after returning for a well-received film based on the historical drama last year, Carson, 72, says he has already been given the screenplay for its eagerly anticipated sequel.
Exciting: Downton Abbey star Jim Carter has confirmed plans for a second feature length film are well underway – and the cast have already read a completed script
Appearing on Thursday’s edition of This Morning from his north London home, the actor revealed the script was filled with humour – but did not confirm the extent to which it had been developed.
He said: ‘If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll let you know that we’ve seen a script… The script for a second film is there. We’ve seen it, it’s very funny!
‘It’s got all the same characters in, all the regular characters, and I think the will is – COVID willing – we’ll film it next year.’
Tantalising: Appearing on Thursday’s edition of This Morning from his north London home, the actor delighted Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby by sharing news of the script
Tell us more: Super-fan Phillip pressed for more details – but was promptly stopped in his tracks by the star, who refused to offer any plot information
Keen to hear more, super-fan Phillip Schofield pressed for more details – but was promptly stopped in his tracks by the star, who added: ‘I’m not going to give anything away about plot lines!’
Carter was on hand to discuss the 10th anniversary of the show, which commanded an average 12-million viewers per episode at its peak, on September 26th.
Reflecting on the celebratory occasion, the actor revealed he been moved to re-read his very first scenes as Carson, written by show creator Julian Fellowes.
Popular: The actor spent five hugely successful years playing resident butler Charles Carson in the ITV show before it went off air in 2015
He said: ‘It’s amazing. Does it feel like ten years? It [does] seem like an age ago. And I looked down on my bookshelves and I found this – a bound script of the first edition of the first script of Downton Abbey.
‘And I had a little wave of nostalgia and my first scene it say’s “Carson the Butler sits in his magnificence”… and my first line was “Ah, William, any papers yet?”… as the newspapers were being delivered!’
While the show went on to become a huge success for ITV, Carter revealed he initially had his doubts about the broadcaster’s ability to pull it off due to their checkered history with period dramas.
Welcome back: The cast returned for a feature length film in 2019, four years after the show ended
Asked if the show represented a gamble for ITV, he said: ‘I think so because when things are successful you think well they were always destined to be successful but at that time, ITV didn’t have a great history of doing period dramaS.
‘It had seemed to be the province of the BBC and I think Upstairs Downstairs was relaunching around the same time and so there were no guarantees of success at all.
‘We were all rather trapedaceous, so it meant that the runaway success of it took us all by surprise, and a very pleasant surprise it was too.’