Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale promises to be the last story in the Downton Abbey franchise, but there may still be room for more in the future. With such a long and sprawling Downton Abbey timeline to navigate, the newest film does an excellent job of tying up a number of stories that have been so important for so long.

The Downton Abbey cast has been among the strongest reasons to recommend the series. Telling complex stories over the course of six series of television and a trilogy of films, the franchise has remained steadfast in following the Crawley family, all centered around Hugh Bonneville’s patriarch Robert.

The story of Downton Abbey 3 has the Herculean task of wrapping up so many disparate storylines concisely, but it does a surprisingly good job. With such a clear finale executed, this has led to speculation about what the future of Downton might look like. Despite no clear plans, this ending does hint at a few possibilities.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Is The Last Movie For The Crawleys

The ending of The Grand Finale is the ending of this larger overall story. The film closes with Robert and Cora leaving Downton behind in order to move into the Dower House, leaving Mary in charge of the sprawling estate. Several of the other staff leave along with them, including Anna and Bates.

This ending changes the shape of Downton entirely. Robert and Cora were the defining central figures throughout the franchise against which all of the other stories were told. Their holding of Downton was a necessary feature that enabled all of the character actions around them to occur.

In addition, much of the series’ focus was on their larger family, including their daughters. The legacy of the family has been fragmented throughout the course of the series, however, pushing characters like Edith to London, and making the remaining core of the cast at Downton much smaller.

Yes, Mary is still there, and life will go on at Downton; however, it is a different future with a different ensemble than seen before. The cast has reflected on this, as well as the creator, making it clear that this is going to be an ending for the characters, at least for the time being.

Still, life goes on. Speaking with Vogue, Michelle Dockery reflected on the ending, while still noting that these characters have lives ahead. “In some ways, it’s not really the end—it is the end, but I can feel the continuation of these characters and their lives beyond it,” she said, addressing how vital and real the series’ cast has grown.

With this in mind, even though the film concludes the story at Downton as it is known, there are still possibilities for the future. Mary has taken over the estate, which could facilitate for other kinds of stories to be told somewhere down the line.

How Downton Abbey Could Continue In The Future

There is the potential for further stories to occur at Downton, largely thanks to Mary’s children. George Crawley is an important symbol of Mary’s past with Matthew, and his story could become an interesting focal point as time moves forward. Born in 1921, there is certainly potential to follow stories with George.

If Downton Abbey were to continue, the series would need to move into the 1940s, where the cold pallor of World War II would play an important part. George would likely be off fighting at war, and his return home could allow for a great setup for a new story in the world of Downton.

Stories in this world are inherently linked to the location itself, but there is certainly room to explore the changing social conventions through the 1940s and into the 1950s in further stories. Modernizing changes to how the house is run, and tracking Caroline Talbot’s stepping into adulthood while navigating her relationships with her divorced parents could be compelling.

Still, none of this would feel like Downton Abbey. Without Hugh Bonneville as the central figure, the shape of the series would change, becoming much more akin to a legacy story. There is potential for something like this to be explored in the future, but some time must first pᴀss.

In addition, creator Julian Fellowes is not especially interested in telling stories of World War II. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he noted that “I didn’t really want to get into the Nazis and Germany and the lead up to the Second World War,” noting how that period would feel very different from what he had wanted to capture in the original series.

Still, Fellowes admitted that there is room for Downton Abbey to continue. Speaking with ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, he noted that while he believes the franchise is done, another idea could strike him in the future. “Every time I say, ‘Oh yes, that’s definitely it. Goodbye, and I’ll never do it again.’ Then, within a year, I’m back doing something.”

For now, the ending of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is the perfect way to let go of these beloved characters for some time. Fortunately, saying goodbye is not so hard if it is done with as much poise and endearing sentimentality as this new film does so effectively.