How do we know Thomas isn’t going to France

Oh, you're gonna drag this outta me.

Alright, here we go ...

Here is your Junk Drawer "New Rockstars", "Wandavision"-esque speculation/Theory post.

So what we know is that the family is going to the South of France, The Dowager is going to inherent a villa - Okay.

We know that of the staff, Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Bates, Anna, and Baxter are going with them (Brendon Coyle confirmed in interview). Leaving Thomas, Andy, Mrs. Patmore, and Daisy as the skeleton crew under George's 'management'.

We know of Thomas's only shot in the trailer is that there is a English Movie Production company setting up shop at Downton Abbey. Which means that Laura Haddock is probably a movie actress - okay.

There is also rumors that Dominic West is playing the villain of the movie and that he is after something that the Dowager Countess has in her keeping for a long time, something of value that was once housed in the Villa.

So here's my theory for the plot of the movie.

Tom and Lucy get married in the first fifteen minutes of the movie.

When they return Dominic West's father dies and has left their family villa to the Dowager Countess. Dominic West invites the family to the South of France for "Fun family good times" So they pack up (Taking Sybbie with them if I've heard right) and go jetting off to paradise. When they get there Mary meets Hugh Dancy who is an Interpol Policeman who is investigating Dominic West. Meanwhile George and the lower ranking staff are left behind at Downton were suddenly a Movie Company shows up to shoot location of Downton Abbey for their movie.

The main plot is that Dominic West (Who is Mafisto) is looking for something of his father's that he is convinced that the Dowager has hidden in plain sight at Downton Abbey. We learn that the movie company is a scam and that Laura Haddock is actually a thief in Dominic West's employment and George, Thomas, and the staff have to match wits with the "Actress" and her "movie crew".

In the end, Dominic West's plot is revealed in France and Mary and Hugh Darcy comes rushing back to the rescue before whatever nefarious plot is hatched by Haddock against George, Thomas, and the skeleton crew at Downton Abbey.

(Mary and Dancy to the Rescue)