Love Downton Abbey? Then these five historical films by Julian Fellowes are well worth adding to your watchlist.
Best known for series such as The Gilded Age, Belgravia and, of course, Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes has also made his mark on the big screen with a number of period films. These historical fictions revisit the themes closest to his heart: aristocracy—often British—rivalries, forbidden love stories, all set against lavish backdrops. Awarded an Academy Award for the screenplay of Gosford Park in 2001, he has since become a leading figure in period drama. These five films are a perfect illustration: an immersive journey into the 19th and 20th centuries, where wealthy families and freedom-seeking servants cross paths.
Downton Abbey (2019, 2021 et 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_30wFRxlnA
Is it still necessary to introduce the masterpiece that is Downton Abbey? After six seasons and 52 episodes, the cult series was extended into three feature films, with Julian Fellowes serving as screenwriter and co-producer.
More specifically, the first film, released in 2019, is set in 1927 and follows the King and Queen’s visit to the estate. A sequel, A New Era, released in 2022, and a third instalment in 2025, both enjoyed strong success.
Gosford Park (2001)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0m00hg1PKY
It was with this film, directed by Robert Altman, that Julian Fellowes gained international recognition. His screenplay was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress for Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith, and ultimately won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Even more notably, Gosford Parkis the work that inspired Downton Abbey, which was initially conceived as a spin-off.
The story? In a grand English country house in the 1930s, aristocrats and servants gather for a hunting party. But when a murder occurs, long-buried secrets begin to surface.
Vanity fair (2004)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9WVhTGT6Y
Vanity Fair is an adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel. This time, Julian Fellowes co-wrote the screenplay alongside Matthew Faulk and Mark Skeet.
The film follows Becky Sharp (played by Reese Witherspoon), the daughter of a penniless English painter and a French cabaret singer. A young orphan fresh out of boarding school, she is determined to climb the ranks of 19th-century British society—using her wit and charm to do so.
From Time to Time (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdu7OVpqkbo
Less well known, this film ventures slightly off the beaten path for the writer, as it is a British fantasy adventure. It is adapted from Lucy M. Boston’s 1958 novel The Chimneys of Green Knowe.
In From Time to Time, we follow Tolly, a young boy sent to stay with his grandmother in an old manor during the Second World War. Once there, he discovers he can travel through time and connect with his ancestors to unravel a mystery that could save both his grandmother and the family home.
The cast includes several Downton Abbey actors, notably Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville.
The Young Victoria (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MElrsyE_QAM
As the title suggests, The Young Victoria explores the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, it was co-produced by Martin Scorsese and Sarah Ferguson.
Played by Emily Blunt, the young monarch ascends to the throne at just 18. The film focuses as much on her political beginnings as on her relationship with Prince Albert.
Looking for your next watch? These articles should inspire you:
- A fan of Bridgerton and Downton Abbey? This historical series takes you to London in 1909, at the dawn of department stores
- Loved Bridgerton? This historical drama blending romance and intrigue draws inspiration from the extraordinary life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria
- ‘A Bridgerton with a Spanish twist’: This period drama takes us to Madrid in the 1880s through the eyes of a high-society matchmaker