Downton Abbey: A New Era stars Penelope Wilton (Isobel Crawley) and Maggie Smith (Dowager Countess)

Downton Abbey: A New Era premiered this week, and the film’s first few minutes set two plots in motion. One includes Violet, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith), inheriting a villa in the south of France. While the other features a Hollywood film crew descending on the abbey. There’s a lot going in this highly-anticipated sequel, and the first thing fans want to know is — what year does this “new era” take place?

Downton Abbey: A New Era stars Penelope Wilton (Isobel Crawley) and Maggie Smith (Dowager Countess)

Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith | Ben Blackall / Focus Features LLC

Yes, the Dowager Countess is still alive in ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’

Fans will recall that the first Downton Abbey film ended on a bit of a cliffhanger when Violet — the Dowager Countess — was told she didn’t have long to live. This led many fans to believe that the character wouldn’t be part of the sequel, but that’s not the case. Smith is back once again to reprise her role, and her plotline drives half of the story.

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