Being that the British-American drama Downton Abbey will be done with season 4 in the U.K. following its upcoming Christmas Special, chatter over its fifth installment has officially gotten underway.

According to iDigital Times on Nov. 29, season 5 of Downton is slated to kick off in the fall of 2014 in the U.K. However, that release date in the U.S. will likely be at some point in the beginning of 2015.

While season 4 started off with the surprising death of Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), the site reported that the future installment will be presenting audiences with another character death, as it suspects that loyalists could witness "a serious shake up for the casting of the show.

The character they are referring to is reportedly Lady Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), as McGovern has expressed a desire to leave the program.

The Dowager Countess Could Also Be Exiting Downton Abbey?

If Lady Cora does end up getting killed off, this could make life even more difficult for the widowed Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), who's still grieving the loss of her hubby Matthew.

"People consider me a part of their lives for however long Downton Abbey lasts. It's a lovely thing to feel as an actor. i get a delivery of letters about once a month. I even had bereavement cards after the last series," Dockery told The Guardian on Nov. 23.

More Chatter On Lady Cora's Potential Departure From Downton Abbey

Next up for Downton Abbey will be its Christmas Special, which will hit the U.K. on the small screen Sunday, Dec. 25.

The TV series will be debuting its fourth season in the U.S. on Jan. 5, 2014. Be sure to keep checking back for more details.

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