Downton Abbey: Producer Gareth Neame admits turning TV series into movie has challenges

The prospect of a Downton Abbey movie is the hot topic amongst fans of ITV's period drama. However, executive producer Gareth Neame says adapting the TV series into a feature-length film is not as simple as it may appear.

Since it was announced that the upcoming series six of the hit drama will be the last, rumours have been rife that producers would be taking it to the big screen. While they have not ruled out the possibility of a Downton movie, executive producer Gareth Neame admits it would face its challenges.

Speaking about the movie plans to the IBTimes UK and other reporters at the screening of the first episode of series six in London, Neame said: "That remains to be seen, but I think the strange thing is, were there to ever be a Downton movie, it strangely has to be just like the TV show but at the same time completely different. I think that would set a number of really interesting challenges and I think would be a whole other medium for the audience to enjoy."

Watch Joanne Froggatt accept her Golden Globe award for portraying Anna Bates:

Still, series creator Julian Fellowes remains confident that they have given the popular drama a fitting end. He explained: "You always leave slightly open-ended stories because life is a slightly open-ended story until you die and you can't kill the entire cast. We've sort of shown what the next chunk of everyone's life would be and I think it's satisfactory. I hope it is."

Since it premiered in 2010, Downton has gone on to win multiple awards including Emmys and a best supporting actress in a TV series Golden Globe for Joanne Froggatt's portrayal of Anna Bates. However, perhaps the most meaningful to the cast and crew is the rare Bafta Tribute and Special Award the drama received on 11 August.

Addressing the awards and accolades, executive producer Liz Tunbridge said: "It matters yes. All of us as human beings like recognition of course. I think the thing to say about Bafta is that it is very special to be acknowledged by your own country. It's been wonderful to have the US recognition that we've had and in fact the global recognition but we were feeling, 'Gosh, it would be lovely to have something from the UK'. When we heard that Bafta wanted to make this special tribute, they have only done it once before with Harry Potter… Bafta recognised the unique contributions both those projects made and we were thrilled to bits."

The final series of Downton Abbey, which stars Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Dame Maggie Smith and Laura Carmichael, will air in September 2015 before coming to a conclusion with a special episode on Christmas Day.