WATCH: The first trailer for the Downton Abbey film has been released!

It's been five years since fans said goodbye to the beloved period drama, Downton Abbey.

But after waiting for what felt like a lifetime, the first trailer for the follow-up film has been released - and we can't wait for the movie to hit cinemas!

The film is set in 1927 - which is roughly 18 months after the TV series finished - and it follows the residents of Downton Abbey as they face a new crisis: the impending visit of King George V and Queen Mary.

The visit sends the staff, who must clean the country estate from top to bottom, into a panic while the residents gossip in anticipation of the royal visit.

The trailer shows the return of some of our favourite characters from the TV series, including Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith), Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) and Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern).

The film was written by Julian Fellowes, who created the original TV series, and is directed by Michael Engler, who directed episodes of the show.

Downton Abbey is set to be released in New Zealand on September 12.