Downton Abbey Creator to Develop Period Drama for NBC

Downton Abbey is coming to network television. Sort of!

Julian Fellowes, the man behind this ITV smash, has agreed to a deal with NBC. He will write and produce a 19th century drama titled The Gilded Age, which is still in the very early development stage, but which the network describes "an epic tale of the princes of the American Renaissance and the vast fortunes they made - and spent - in late nineteenth century New York."

"This was a vivid time," Fellowes said in a statement, "with dizzying, brilliant ascents and calamitous falls, of record-breaking ostentation and savage rivalry; a time when money was king."

Downton Abbey Season 3 kicks off on January 6 in the U.S., while ITV has also confirmed plans for Downton Abbey Season 4.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.