'Downton Abbey: A New Era' Stars Michelle Dockery and Others — Where's Matthew Goode?

The latest installment of the Downton Abbey franchise, Downton Abbey: A New Era, arrives in cinemas on May 20, 2022, providing fans a much-needed update on the latest endeavors of the well-to-do Crawley clan.

Julian Fellowes's latest creative venture pays homage to the early 20th-century fascination with new tech — such as the cinematic apparatus — while also offering a glimpse into the unexpected changes triggered by Violet Crawley's decision to acquire a villa in the South of France.

Matthew Goode, the actor who has portrayed Lady Mary's love interest in the TV series and the 2019 movie, will not appear in Downton Abbey: A New Era because of scheduling clashes.

As the actor told Extra TV, he was unable to make it down to the Highclere Castle in Highclere, Newbury, U.K., because had to film Season 1 of The Offer, Michael Tolkin's biographical drama that premiered on April 28, 2022, on Paramount Plus.

Downton Abbey: A New Era picks up sometimes after the 2019 movie left off. Starring Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, and Maggie Smith as Violet Grantham, the historical drama explores the latest challenges the tightly-knit group of Downton dwellers have to face.

Among these is the arrival of a film crew ready and raring to make ample use of the breathtaking building for their next venture. Needless to add, the disruption garners mixed responses from the inhabitants. Those who have watched Julian's directorial debut, the 2001 Gosford Park, should know a thing or two about the chaos film crews are capable of causing.

Downton Abbey, the TV series that first premiered on ITV in September 2010, propelled several of its stars to international fame. A percentage of the actors who appeared in the TV series have agreed to resume their roles in the 2019 and the 2022 movie adaptations.

Born in Exeter in 1978, Matthew landed one of his first roles in a 2002 episode of The Wonderful World of Disney after graduating from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. (The institute shut down in 2005.)

Matthew soon built a versatile acting portfolio, appearing alongside Imelda Staunton in a 2005 adaptation of Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals. He also played one of the lead roles in Stoker, Park Chan-wook's 2013 horror-thriller featuring Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman.

Matthew appeared in Season 5 and 6 of Downton Abbey, stepping into Henry Talbot's shoes for a handful of episodes. His charismatic personality and considerable acting chops earned him hundreds of fans.

After Season 6 of Downton Abbey wrapped, Matthew agreed to resume Henry's role in the 2019 movie. Henry and Lady Mary seemed to have hit it off — but their romance likely won't progress further in Downton Abbey: A New Era. According to Digital Spy, Henry is now off traveling the world racing cars.

Downton Abbey: A New Era arrives in cinemas on May 20, 2022.