The much anticipated “Downton Abbey” movie project is moving forward, with the big screen adaptation of the period series set to head into production next year.

The series, which follows the lives of an aristocratic English family, ended its six season run on ITV in the U.K. and PBS in the U.S. in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and the producer of the show, Carnival Films, and its studio owner, NBCUniversal, have frequently spoken about making a “Downton” movie.

Noting a film has been in the works for some time, Michael Edelstein, president at NBCUniversal International Studios, told the Associated Press: “We are working on getting the script right and then we’ve got to figure out how to get the (cast) together. Because as you know, people go on and do other things. But we’re hopeful to make a movie sometime next year.”

Julian Fellowes wrote the TV series and has been working on the script for the movie. Edelstein was talking to AP from the Singapore leg of the “Downton Abbey” exhibition. Cast member at the same event said they did not yet know about the feature project but reacted positively to the news.

Laura Carmichael played one of the aristocrats in the series and told AP: “Well, tell my agent, because we’re still waiting to know. We’re hoping that will happen soon.”

“You’ve got confirmation before us,” said another cast member at the exhibition, Sophie McShera, who played a cook. “We have no idea if that’s happening. But we would all love to be part of the film if it was to happen, for sure.”

An NBCUniversal spokesman confirmed the studio hopes to put the movie into production in 2018.