Downton Abbey Boss Brings The Gilded Age to NBC

Ahoy, Downton Abbeyfans! You may be able to scratch your Dowager itch sooner than expected, but this time with an American twist. Downton creator Julian Fellowes is bringing his next series -- The Gilded Age -- to NBC.

The series, which has been in development since 2012, will be set in 1880s New York, "a period of immense social upheaval, of huge fortunes made and lost, and of palaces that spanned the length of Fifth Avenue." Marian Brook is the show's protagonist as a "wide-eyed" scion to a conservative family who will try and infiltrate the family of her next-door neighbor, ruthless railroad tycoon George Russell. There she'll meet George's available son Jon and his "new money" wife Bertha.

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"To write The Gilded Age is the fulfillment of a personal dream," Fellowes said in a statement. "I have been fascinated by this period of American history for many years and now NBC has given me the chance to bring it to a modern audience. I could not be more excited and thrilled. The truth is, America is a wonderful country with a rich and varied history, and nothing could give me more pleasure than be the person to bring that compelling history to the screen."

Downton producer Garreth Naeme will join Fellowes on the project for a 10-episode series order that will premiere in 2019. Downton Abbey ran for six seasons in over 250 territories. It became the most-Emmy nominated non-US television show with 69 nominations and 15 wins.