Movies

Exclusive 'Downton Abbey' Clip: How The Film Differs From The Beloved TV Series

downton abbey clip
By Hoai-Tran Bui

In this day and age of IPs, remakes, and sequels, filmmakers have to work carefully to bring a beloved property from the small screen to the big screen. Perhaps no one knows that struggle more than Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, who this year helped adapt his beloved costume drama into a feature film that follows the events of the TV series.

/Film is debuting an exclusive Downton Abbey clip from the bonus features of the film's Blu-ray release, available for purchase now, which explore Fellowes' screenwriting process in turning the Downton Abbey series into a film. Watch the Downton Abbey clip below.

Downton Abbey Clip

Fellowes has spent nearly a decade with the Crawley family and their distinguished country estate, Downton Abbey, premiering his critically acclaimed costume drama series in 2010 on ITV and PBS. So it's fitting that Fellowes would be the one to bid farewell to this family as the writer of the Downton Abbey feature film directed by Michael Engler. The exclusive clip above is from a bonus feature from the Downton Abbey Blu-ray release that dives into how Fellowes continued the story of the Crawley family, and what changes he had to make to end the saga in a two-hour film. Whatever changes or compromises he had to make, however, didn't take away from the essence of what makes Downton Abbey so appealing: the rich stories of every single character.

"I think there was something appealing in that philosophy that on the whole, every life has its hurdles that must be overcome," Fellowes says in the clip. "And it is one of my core beliefs that for all the horror stories in every day's newspaper, the fact is that most people are trying to do their best."

See the bonus features for the Downton Abbey Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital releases below.

BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL BONUS FEATURES:
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Cast Conversations – Exclusive roundtable interviews with the cast.
  • Upstairs Cast
  • Downstairs Cast
  • The Royal Visit – A look at how the royal visit proved to be an ambitious event both on and behind the camera.
  • True to the Twenties – Fans of DOWNTON ABBEY are charmed by the sheer grandeur of the aristocracy in the early 20th century. Learn how DOWNTON ABBEY maintains a reputation of being true to the time period.
  • Welcome to Downton Abbey – A behind-the-scenes look at the grandeur of Highclere Castle and how it serves as a cornerstone in the Downton Abbey franchise.
  • The Brilliance of Julian Fellowes – Writer Julian Fellowes has created a story and beloved characters that resonate with people across the world. This piece celebrates Julian's brilliant creativity and reveals his approach to bringing Downton Abbey to the big screen.
  • Downton Abbey Series Recap* – Whether you're new or just need a refresher, this series recap will catch you up on the story so far.
  • Feature Commentary with Director Michael Engler
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