Third “Downton Abbey” Movie Will Have 'Meaningful' Tribute to Maggie Smith: 'Mourning the Matriarch of the Show'

The third Downton Abbey movie will be a chance to mourn the Dowager Countess and Maggie Smith, the actress who played her.

Following Smith’s Sept. 27 death at age 89, the upcoming installment in the franchise will include a “meaningful” tribute to the late star, executive producer Gareth Neame told TVLine in an interview published Tuesday, Dec. 24.

“We will never see the like of Dame Maggie Smith ever again,” he said, calling the loss of the two-time Oscar winner “the end of an era.”

Related: Downton Abbey 3rd Movie Officially Announced — with Paul Giamatti Reprising His Role from Series

Smith’s character was Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, first introduced in the ITV and PBS drama in 2010. After the series’ conclusion in 2015, she reprised the role in the 2019 movie adaptation and its sequel, 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era.

In the latter installment, the Dowager Countess dies. “The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway,” said Neame, 57, of the upcoming third film, scheduled for a Sept. 12, 2025 theatrical release.

“The loss of the Dowager,” added the Day of the Jackal producer, “now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful.”

The “huge respect” that the Downton Abbey cast and crew have for Smith “will come across in the next movie,” he promised.

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Many Downton Abbey cast members reacted to Smith’s death with heartfelt remembrances in the days following her death.

Michelle Dockery, who played the Dowager Countess’ granddaughter Lady Mary Crawley, said in a statement, "There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family."

Hugh Bonneville, who played Smith’s character’s son Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, said, “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent."

Related: Remembering Maggie Smith's Incredible Life and Career in Photos

Paul Giamatti, one of the series’ guest stars expected to reprise his role as Harold Levinson in the third movie, called the “genius" Smith "the kind of actor who makes you proud to be an actor."

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes called working with Smith “the greatest privilege of my career,” telling PEOPLE, “we were more than fortunate to be part of the last act in her stellar career.”

Smith, whose final screen credit was the 2023 film The Miracle Club, is survived by her sons and five grandchildren.

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