Downton Abbey creator teases "opportunity" for a crossover with another of his beloved series
The timeline and locations are beginning to line up.
Hope has long been brewing among fans of Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age for a potential crossover, and now we have an optimistic update on that front.
Julian Fellowes, the creator of both shows, recently revealed that the drama’s latest storylines have created an "opportunity" for the worlds to collide in upcoming instalments.
The Gilded Age season 3 expanded into England following the wedding of Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) and Hector, Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), making room for potential encounters with the Crawley family.
Addressing the timing and location of The Gilded Age following the season 3 finale, which aired on Sunday (10th August), Fellowes told TVLine: "Obviously there’s an opportunity to [stage a crossover], because they are both in England."
He continued: "Things like the shooting season or whatever would incorporate many great houses for all of these families, as they would travel around England.
"We can bring about a conjunction whenever we wish, really, but we haven’t got one planned yet, so we’ll have to see."
There is, of course, one problem with the idea of a crossover between the two shows: set in the mid-1880s, The Gilded Age takes place decades before Downton Abbey, but viewers could of course be introduced to younger versions of some of the beloved Crawley family.
It's not the first time rumours have swirled around a Gilded Age crossover.
Earlier this year, a host of And Just Like That fans were quick to speculate that the mystery novel protagonist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) was penning was actually the story of The Gilded Age.
However, speaking to Entertainment Weekly, And Just Like That producer and showrunner Michael Patrick King was quick to dispel the rumours, clarifying that there was "no crazy crossover" in the works.
While a fourth season of The Gilded Age has already been renewed, Downton Abbey is set to return with a final film, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, in cinemas in September, and fans will certainly be hoping that it won’t be the Crawley family’s last ever hurrah.
The Gilded Age is available on Sky and NOW.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
