It’s time to return to Downton Abbey. Three years after the first “Downton Abbey” movie revived the beloved TV show for the big screen, “Downton Abbey: A New Era” follows the aristocratic Crawleys on another glamorous adventure. Although the film is set for an exclusively in-theaters release, the cinematic trip to the English countryside might be easier than ever to watch from the decidedly unglamorous location of your very own couch, thanks to a new streaming agreement with NBCUniversal.
Officially, there’s no streaming release date for the new movie. However, a new practice put into place by NBCUniversal could see the latest adventures of the Crawley family available for home streaming sooner rather than later. In December 2021, Deadline reported that NBCUniversal launched a theatrical release plan that would allow their movies to start streaming on Peacock as early as 45 days after their theatrical opening day. Universal Pictures (and its subsidiary Focus Features) are the main producers and distributors behind “A New Era,” so we can safely assume that the movie will fall under these new guidelines.
“As we continue investing in the most valued and sought-after content for Peacock, films are essential to that mix,” Kelly Campbell, Peacock president, said to Deadline. “The team at Universal Filmed Entertainment Group are fantastic partners, and we are excited to bring their amazing slate of blockbuster films and beloved franchises to Peacock as early as 45 days after their theatrical release and provide a steady stream of fresh, original films exclusively for Peacock customers throughout the year.”
So, when will viewers be able to stream “Downton Abbey: A New Era”? That will all depend on what date gets used as the benchmark for that 45-day countdown. The movie will be released almost a full month earlier in the UK than in the US: British audiences can head back to Downton starting on April 29, while US moviegoers will have to wait until May 20. It’s likely that NBCUniversal will choose to count from the US release date, especially given that the 45-day window from that point would put the Peacock debut on a movie-friendly weekend: July 4.