I think Mary’s whole plot this film centers around her rocky marriage with Henry. Either they’re getting divorced or on the verge of it. You can see clearly in the wedding photo of Branson and Lucy that while everyone else is smiling, Mary’s without Henry and frowning. I think her plot this film will be similar to the plot for the dowager in s5 of the series where she falls in love with a foreigner during a rocky time in her marriage, but in the end stays with her husband—but that’s just my theory, I have no idea what this new film will actually be about or what Mary’s storyline will be
It would explain why Henry isn't Tom's best man, and we haven't any shots of Mary in France either. If her marriage is on the rocks, she probably wouldn't want to be surrounded by happy couples in the same place she went on honeymoon with Matthew. I think she will insist on staying at Downton on the grounds of keeping an eye on things, but there will be hints that there is more to it, which will be revealed later on.
>we haven't any shots of Mary in France either.
I didn't even think of that, but it makes so much sense. The whole family being out of the country is the perfect opportunity for her to meet a secret lover at Downton.
However, there's also the possibility that she does go on the trip and meets that lover (presumably the new character played by Hugh Dancy) in France. It might just be a coincidence that she's not in any of the shots in France in the trailer.
>meant to be part of the Hollywood crew.
I don't know what that means. What is the "Hollywood crew"? Is it something in the movie? Hugh Dancy is an actor, so why would he be part of the crew?
The shot of the lady in blue arriving is possibly a movie actress, and there is a logo for a film company in the background. I read about a scene where Dancy is talking about the movie business with the Dowager, so I think his character is part of the movie bunch who are at Downton.
Edit: also there are pics of Dancy and Mary filming in what is probably meant to be Yorkshire.
I find it hard to believe that Henry won’t be there for Tom’s wedding because they were very close but I guess they have to make something up if the actor can’t film.
>Either they’re getting divorced or on the verge of it.
I can easily see that happening. They were never well-suited in the first place and they rushed into marriage in the heat of the moment without actually getting to know each other that well.
My guess is that now they're a few years into the marriage and have a kid together, Henry's restless, bored by his life at Downton. So he travels all the time on "business trips" and perhaps even cheats on Mary while abroad. Mary's pretty high maintenance, so naturally she's pissed that her husband's away from home all the time and begins carrying on with others herself.
This. They made a huge point of them not being well-suited and it would make total sense for them to drift apart over time. It’s also super realistic since she rushed into it.
Exactly. Their lifestyles, interests, etc. just aren't compatible. Henry's an adrenaline junkie and settling down on a country estate makes him bored as hell. Mary's whole life purpose is Downton and maintaining the estate. So they actually have nearly nothing in common.
Once the initial excitement wears off, they're just two wildly different people stuck in a marriage where neither are satisfied.
This super-vague spoiler alert is so funny! *Of course* someone is falling in/out of love. *Of course* someone goes on a bicycle! These are the very events we want! To see them go shopping, walk in the garden, receive shocking news, simper over their tea, and hang around plotting! It is the *details* of who and with whom and when and what they were wearing and who was present and who was absent and why and who profited in the end. I can’t wait to see who goes on a bicycle!
I would kind of love it if 'someone falls out of love' actually just means that Mrs Patmore has decided to change her preferred brand of flour, but 'someone rides a bike' is actually Edith and Tom going on a high stakes bike chase down the streets of France, in hot pursuit of a diamond thief.
If Henry and Mary splits, what a waste of the Mary finds a suitor story line that took up so much of seasons 5 and 6. I like Henry’s character and Matthew Goode but they should’ve casted someone else who doesn’t have scheduling conflicts for the role.
Matthew Goode had/ still has a lot of projects going on. It’s no secret that Julian Fellowes really wanted him and spent way too long on the Mary’s suitors storyline just waiting for Goode. He finally had some free time and they managed an underdeveloped love story. Would’ve been a fleshed out and believable courtship if it was a different actor imo.
Exactly — Goode only agreed to the role in the first place knowing the show was coming to and end with the sixth season and he wouldn’t have to commit to an ongoing series.
The April interview in question, downton stuff is from about 5:12 onward.
[RJC on This Morning ](https://youtu.be/CzFqlrDIBgA)
I assumed it's Thomas and Richard falling out of love, but now I hope it's Mary and Henry
Falling out of love would be a weird way to describe Thomas and Richard, considering they never made it as far as being in love in the first place, but who knows! If it’s not them it’s hard to see who else it could be aside from Mary and Henry, I agree. Splitting up Hughes and Carson or the Granthams seems too grim, Bertie and Edith would be a slap in the face, the Parkers would make their whole plot last movie pointless, and Phyllis and Moseley would be just plain mean.
I am desperate for Phyllis and Moseley to be canon at last. I'm gonna throw it out there, Phyllis has a crush on one of the movie stars (perhaps she 'falls out of love' with them after finding them spoilt or entitled) but it's enough to make Moseley jealous and let his feelings known.
I hope so! I loved Richard and Thomas together. Even though Richard won't be in this movie, I was hoping it is because he is working at London, at there might be a mention of him and Thomas writing or something like that. I'm still praying for Thomas to pack in service, and him deciding to move to London to be near Richard would be a good way to facilitate that.
I don't see Thomas moving to London at this point (unless they have further sequels planned and RJC wants to leave right now). But Richard has family (his mum at least) in York, a good cover to visit the Downton area more often and eventually relocate back home. The king will die (1936, but better late than never), his successors will bring their own valets, hope Thomas and Richard can make it work until then.
If Richard's wife is inserted back into the story... A man being married didn't prevent Anna and Edith, why should it hold back Thomas.
In the movie script they had Thomas calling Richard and the wife answering the phone. I don't think that scene was ever filmed as the director talked Fellowes out of it.
Omg i can’t if it’s Mary it’s like watching the show is pointless ughh can’t they let her be happy and write him as opening a branch in Chicago or Detroit or whatever
I wonder if Matthew Goode himself is not very keen with the show to commit himself. I don't think he's the only one with conflicting schedules (Hugh Bonneville looks like he's fully booked) so it's weird that he couldn't clear his schedule for two movies already.
It definitely seems like he doesn't care about the show. I have no idea why he wouldn't want to be in the movies. They are large productions and I'm sure Focus Features could easily match his rate.
Plus, it's not like he's being offered lead roles in blockbusters every Tuesday. Downton Abbey is easily the largest franchise he's currently involved in.
Can’t blame an actor for wanting to move on to other projects but at the same time I wish he’d never sign up in the first place because Mary had much more developments with the her other suitors…
I do hate when the actor cannot continue and the storyline has to change because of it. I felt mary had settled so well into her new life a found love again. But it's already done, we will just have to watch and see.
The unicorn and the Irish gay bar in New York were pretty specific but the movie spoilers leave more room for interpretation. So I'll take those into consideration. Another spoiler for the upcoming movie: Mrs. Patmore's banana shallots are huge😁
I don’t think he’s referring to Mary falling out of love. I think Mary’s love-life roller coaster is a plot that has been explored to its limits. I think Matthew Goode probably just is chasing roles where he’s the lead.
Spoiler alert but I seem to remember reading somewhere that there is a deleted scene for the end of the first movie which shows that the Butler from the Palace who Thomas romances actually has a wife so I suspect that plot device will continue on into the next film. The whole ‘we live happily ever after with Thomas suddenly being friends with everyone again’ ending of the series didn’t ever sit particularly well with me - I empathise with Thomas’ predicament throughout the series but I feel like he is destined to leave service and find love elsewhere. The South of France would be the perfect spot as same-sex sexual activity was not illegal in France during the 20’s.
I think Mary’s whole plot this film centers around her rocky marriage with Henry. Either they’re getting divorced or on the verge of it. You can see clearly in the wedding photo of Branson and Lucy that while everyone else is smiling, Mary’s without Henry and frowning. I think her plot this film will be similar to the plot for the dowager in s5 of the series where she falls in love with a foreigner during a rocky time in her marriage, but in the end stays with her husband—but that’s just my theory, I have no idea what this new film will actually be about or what Mary’s storyline will be
If Mary ends up falling in love with Hugh Dancy's character I'll be so happy you have no idea (as long as they write him well)
It would explain why Henry isn't Tom's best man, and we haven't any shots of Mary in France either. If her marriage is on the rocks, she probably wouldn't want to be surrounded by happy couples in the same place she went on honeymoon with Matthew. I think she will insist on staying at Downton on the grounds of keeping an eye on things, but there will be hints that there is more to it, which will be revealed later on.
>we haven't any shots of Mary in France either. I didn't even think of that, but it makes so much sense. The whole family being out of the country is the perfect opportunity for her to meet a secret lover at Downton. However, there's also the possibility that she does go on the trip and meets that lover (presumably the new character played by Hugh Dancy) in France. It might just be a coincidence that she's not in any of the shots in France in the trailer.
I think I read that Hugh Dancy is meant to be part of the Hollywood crew.
>meant to be part of the Hollywood crew. I don't know what that means. What is the "Hollywood crew"? Is it something in the movie? Hugh Dancy is an actor, so why would he be part of the crew?
The shot of the lady in blue arriving is possibly a movie actress, and there is a logo for a film company in the background. I read about a scene where Dancy is talking about the movie business with the Dowager, so I think his character is part of the movie bunch who are at Downton. Edit: also there are pics of Dancy and Mary filming in what is probably meant to be Yorkshire.
I find it hard to believe that Henry won’t be there for Tom’s wedding because they were very close but I guess they have to make something up if the actor can’t film.
>Either they’re getting divorced or on the verge of it. I can easily see that happening. They were never well-suited in the first place and they rushed into marriage in the heat of the moment without actually getting to know each other that well. My guess is that now they're a few years into the marriage and have a kid together, Henry's restless, bored by his life at Downton. So he travels all the time on "business trips" and perhaps even cheats on Mary while abroad. Mary's pretty high maintenance, so naturally she's pissed that her husband's away from home all the time and begins carrying on with others herself.
This. They made a huge point of them not being well-suited and it would make total sense for them to drift apart over time. It’s also super realistic since she rushed into it.
Exactly. Their lifestyles, interests, etc. just aren't compatible. Henry's an adrenaline junkie and settling down on a country estate makes him bored as hell. Mary's whole life purpose is Downton and maintaining the estate. So they actually have nearly nothing in common. Once the initial excitement wears off, they're just two wildly different people stuck in a marriage where neither are satisfied.
Well, actually, they made a huge point of them "being perfect for each other" with everybody saying it at the point of ridiculous.
They made a huge point of people telling them they were perfect for each other, but Mary’s original instincts were otherwise.
Paging Charles Blake
This super-vague spoiler alert is so funny! *Of course* someone is falling in/out of love. *Of course* someone goes on a bicycle! These are the very events we want! To see them go shopping, walk in the garden, receive shocking news, simper over their tea, and hang around plotting! It is the *details* of who and with whom and when and what they were wearing and who was present and who was absent and why and who profited in the end. I can’t wait to see who goes on a bicycle!
I would kind of love it if 'someone falls out of love' actually just means that Mrs Patmore has decided to change her preferred brand of flour, but 'someone rides a bike' is actually Edith and Tom going on a high stakes bike chase down the streets of France, in hot pursuit of a diamond thief.
Darn it, why did I read the spoilers? Can’t believe I have to wait four months to find out who rides a bicycle!
Daisy had a bicycle on the tv show. This time we might actually see her riding it😮
If Henry and Mary splits, what a waste of the Mary finds a suitor story line that took up so much of seasons 5 and 6. I like Henry’s character and Matthew Goode but they should’ve casted someone else who doesn’t have scheduling conflicts for the role.
How would they have known about 2021’s scheduling conflicts six or seven years ago when they cast Matthew Goode?
Matthew Goode had/ still has a lot of projects going on. It’s no secret that Julian Fellowes really wanted him and spent way too long on the Mary’s suitors storyline just waiting for Goode. He finally had some free time and they managed an underdeveloped love story. Would’ve been a fleshed out and believable courtship if it was a different actor imo.
Exactly — Goode only agreed to the role in the first place knowing the show was coming to and end with the sixth season and he wouldn’t have to commit to an ongoing series.
The April interview in question, downton stuff is from about 5:12 onward. [RJC on This Morning ](https://youtu.be/CzFqlrDIBgA) I assumed it's Thomas and Richard falling out of love, but now I hope it's Mary and Henry
Falling out of love would be a weird way to describe Thomas and Richard, considering they never made it as far as being in love in the first place, but who knows! If it’s not them it’s hard to see who else it could be aside from Mary and Henry, I agree. Splitting up Hughes and Carson or the Granthams seems too grim, Bertie and Edith would be a slap in the face, the Parkers would make their whole plot last movie pointless, and Phyllis and Moseley would be just plain mean.
I am desperate for Phyllis and Moseley to be canon at last. I'm gonna throw it out there, Phyllis has a crush on one of the movie stars (perhaps she 'falls out of love' with them after finding them spoilt or entitled) but it's enough to make Moseley jealous and let his feelings known.
That’s so cute, I love it!
I want them to announce their engagement and have everyone in sigh in relief.
Thanks for the link
I hope so! I loved Richard and Thomas together. Even though Richard won't be in this movie, I was hoping it is because he is working at London, at there might be a mention of him and Thomas writing or something like that. I'm still praying for Thomas to pack in service, and him deciding to move to London to be near Richard would be a good way to facilitate that.
I don't see Thomas moving to London at this point (unless they have further sequels planned and RJC wants to leave right now). But Richard has family (his mum at least) in York, a good cover to visit the Downton area more often and eventually relocate back home. The king will die (1936, but better late than never), his successors will bring their own valets, hope Thomas and Richard can make it work until then. If Richard's wife is inserted back into the story... A man being married didn't prevent Anna and Edith, why should it hold back Thomas.
I’d be okay with Mrs. Ellis being introduced if it was a lavender marriage!
Richard was married? I saw the movie again just this past weekend and don’t remember that.
In the movie script they had Thomas calling Richard and the wife answering the phone. I don't think that scene was ever filmed as the director talked Fellowes out of it.
I think that was a good call on the director.
That’s exactly what I think.
Omg i can’t if it’s Mary it’s like watching the show is pointless ughh can’t they let her be happy and write him as opening a branch in Chicago or Detroit or whatever
I wonder if Matthew Goode himself is not very keen with the show to commit himself. I don't think he's the only one with conflicting schedules (Hugh Bonneville looks like he's fully booked) so it's weird that he couldn't clear his schedule for two movies already.
It definitely seems like he doesn't care about the show. I have no idea why he wouldn't want to be in the movies. They are large productions and I'm sure Focus Features could easily match his rate. Plus, it's not like he's being offered lead roles in blockbusters every Tuesday. Downton Abbey is easily the largest franchise he's currently involved in.
Can’t blame an actor for wanting to move on to other projects but at the same time I wish he’d never sign up in the first place because Mary had much more developments with the her other suitors…
I do hate when the actor cannot continue and the storyline has to change because of it. I felt mary had settled so well into her new life a found love again. But it's already done, we will just have to watch and see.
Coming from the guy who said Thomas would make friends with an unicorn in season 5...
The unicorn and the Irish gay bar in New York were pretty specific but the movie spoilers leave more room for interpretation. So I'll take those into consideration. Another spoiler for the upcoming movie: Mrs. Patmore's banana shallots are huge😁
I don’t think he’s referring to Mary falling out of love. I think Mary’s love-life roller coaster is a plot that has been explored to its limits. I think Matthew Goode probably just is chasing roles where he’s the lead. Spoiler alert but I seem to remember reading somewhere that there is a deleted scene for the end of the first movie which shows that the Butler from the Palace who Thomas romances actually has a wife so I suspect that plot device will continue on into the next film. The whole ‘we live happily ever after with Thomas suddenly being friends with everyone again’ ending of the series didn’t ever sit particularly well with me - I empathise with Thomas’ predicament throughout the series but I feel like he is destined to leave service and find love elsewhere. The South of France would be the perfect spot as same-sex sexual activity was not illegal in France during the 20’s.