Elizabeth McGovern

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale saw the hit period drama come to an end with a tribute to Dame Maggie Smith.

Michelle Dockery has disclosed that the final Downton Abbey film could have ended differently.

The star returned as Lady Mary Crawley alongside Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern for the concluding chapter.

Downton Abbey debuted in 2010, establishing itself as a cherished series that spanned six seasons plus two earlier movies.

The conclusion served as a tribute to Dame Maggie Smith, who passed away aged 89 last September.

Her character, The Dowager Countess, was written off by her death in the 2022 picture, Downton Abbey: A New Era, though her memory was celebrated in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, reports the Manchester Evening News.

As the finale wrapped up with an emotional ending, following Lady Mary as a divorcee and single mother overcoming scandal, viewers saw visions of the family and servants dancing together with Violet Crawley, with the camera resting on a portrait of Dame Maggie.

However, Michelle has now revealed there were alternate endings in mind.

She told The Hollywood Reporter: “There were a couple of versions of the ending. There was another version where you saw Mary go back to work, she goes into the library and she sits at her desk.

“They decided to end it on the tribute to Maggie, which I think is the best ending. I always felt that it was the right way to finish.

“[Mary, Cora and Robert] are saying their goodbyes and I think that’s for the audience – this feeling of moving on and saying farewell to each other.”

She added: “It feels quite hopeful. I also like that at the end of this story, Mary ends up as a single woman. There’s a new chapter ahead of her, she’s happier, and she’s excited to take the reins and become the lady of the house. It’s the end, but it feels like it’s ongoing.”

Creator Julian Fellowes previously spoke about dedicating the film to Dame Maggie: “I think we all felt that if there was a third film, we wanted it to be haunted by Maggie.

“There is a theme of Maggie going through the film, and then at the end, you see her when Mary is having all her flashbacks. I like that. She was an iconic figure … And that’s another reason to finish.”

He added: “I think the actors had had enough – in the nicest way, there were a lot of good friendships and we’ll always meet as members of the Downton club … But I also feel that, in life, you must know when to let go of things, whether it’s professional or romantic or anything else.

“There is a moment when you think, ‘It’s time to bring this to an end.’ And I felt that about the show.”

Downton Abbey is available to watch on Netflix

Downton Abbey is back for one final movie – with the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan and Joanne Froggatt all returning for the movie sequel

Downton Abbey has given fans a first look at the final movie trailer. The cast of the hit ITV show, which was turned into a movie franchise, is back for one last time – with many of the famous faces gracing out screens again.

Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern and Paul Giamatti are all back for the movie alongside Penelope Wilton, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Laura Carmichael and Harry Hadden-Pato.

Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Robert James-Collier, Lesley Nicol and Sophie McShera complete the cast alongside Raquel Cassidy, Kevin Doyle, Michael Fox, Dominic West, Arty Froushan, Joely Richardson and Douglass Reith.

The grand finale of Downton Abbey will see the Crawley family and their staff navigate the 1930s. Mary is front and centre as she navigates a public scandal whilst the family face financial issues.

Elsewhere, the whole household struggles with the fall out as the family must face change as they prepare for a new chapter – but what does the family face and how will it all end for the Crawleys and their staff?

Simon Curtis has directed the movie, whilst creator Julian Fellowes has done the screenplay. He will also produce alongside Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge and Nigel Marchant is executive producer.

Joanne – who plays Anna Bates – previously admitted it was going to be hard to say goodbye to her character for good.

“Oh my goodness, it’s going to be hard! We’ve said goodbye a few times, thinking, ‘This is the end’, at the end of the seasons. Then we did one movie and we wondered if we’d get a second movie.

“This really is, the third and final, so this really is goodbye. It’s going to be emotional, but all good things must come to an end, I suppose,” she said.

Joanne also teased a “full circle” moment in the final film. She said: “We come to the core of the family and the servants, what the future will be and looking back at where the family have got to now. It’s a beautiful full-circle moment that it comes to at the end.

“There was a stage where reality TV came in and it was all the rage. There wasn’t much drama being made in the UK.

“That was sad but then eventually it came good again and Downton Abbey was one of the first shows to sort of bring back the eagerness for good drama. It’s been amazing to ride it all out and still be around to tell the tale.”

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