| Director: | Edward Berger |
| Screenplay: | Peter Straughan |
| Music: | Volker Bertelmann |
| Cinematography: | Stéphane Fontaine |
| Editing: | Nick Emerson |
| Runtime: | 120 minutes[1] |
| Budget: | $20 million |
| Gross: | $36.3 million[2] [3] |
Conclave is a 2024 mystery thriller film directed by Edward Berger and written by Peter Straughan, based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, and Isabella Rossellini. In the film, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes) organizes a papal conclave to elect the next pope and finds himself investigating secrets and scandals about each candidate.
Conclave premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on 30 August 2024, was theatrically released in the United States by Focus Features on 25 October 2024 and in the United Kingdom by Black Bear UK on 29 November. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for the performances, directing, screenplay and cinematography, and has grossed $34 million worldwide. It was named one of the top ten films of 2024 by the National Board of Review.
After the Pope dies of a heart attack, the College of Cardinals gathers in seclusion for a papal conclave to choose the new pope, under the leadership of Cardinal-Dean Thomas Lawrence. The College is surprised by the arrival of Archbishop Vincent Benitez of Kabul, a Mexican who claims the Pope secretly made him a cardinal, and performed missionary work in global war zones.
The four main candidates for pope are Aldo Bellini, an American liberal in the vein of the Pope; Joshua Adeyemi, a Nigerian with socially conservative views; Joseph Tremblay, a Canadian mainstream conservative; and Goffredo Tedesco, an Italian reactionary traditionalist who wants to reverse parts of the Second Vatican Council. Bellini, despite not wanting to be Pope, makes it clear his position is to prevent Tedesco from becoming Pope. Before the first vote, Lawrence gives a sermon encouraging the cardinals to embrace doubt and uncertainty, which is seen by some as a campaign speech. Lawrence learns Benitez was close to the Pope, who paid for Benitez's plane ticket to Switzerland for a medical appointment that was later canceled. Further, the Pope's confidant tells Lawrence that the pope demanded Tremblay's resignation hours before dying. Tremblay vigorously denies this.
After the first vote, no candidate is close to the needed two-thirds majority; Adeyemi has a slight edge, and Bellini and Lawrence split the liberal vote. Without a unity candidate, the liberals consolidate behind Adeyemi to the chagrin of Bellini, who despises Adeyemi's homophobia. Some accuse Lawrence of secretly trying to win the papacy for himself, though in reality Lawrence consistently votes for Bellini. Sister Shanumi, a Nigerian nun handling domestic tasks, causes a stir by confronting Adeyemi in the cardinals' refectory. She confesses to Lawrence that she and Adeyemi had an illicit relationship, resulting in the birth of a son who was given up for adoption. Although Lawrence is duty-bound to keep the secret, a whisper campaign derails Adeyemi's candidacy over the next few votes. Adeyemi suspects a setup, as Shanumi never left Nigeria before appearing at the conclave. Bellini transfers his support to Tremblay in order to block Tedesco.
Head nun Sister Agnes informs Lawrence that Tremblay arranged for Shanumi's transfer to the Vatican. When confronted, Tremblay confirms this, but claims the Pope requested he do so and was unaware of Shanumi's connection to Adeyemi. Lawrence breaks into the Pope's quarters and finds documents showing that Tremblay bribed cardinals for votes, confirming the resignation rumors. Bellini urges Lawrence to burn the documents to prevent public outcry over church corruption, causing Lawrence to realize Bellini also accepted a bribe for a bureaucratic appointment. Lawrence and Agnes publicize Tremblay's bribery to the cardinals, thereby destroying Tremblay's and Bellini's candidacies. Lawrence and Tedesco become the only remaining major candidates, although Benitez has steadily gained support, to Lawrence's continuing surprise.
During the sixth vote, where Lawrence reluctantly votes for himself, a suicide bomber attacks the Vatican, killing many in the crowd outside and damaging the Sistine Chapel. Tedesco angrily blames Islamists and calls for the Church to fight a war against Islam. Benitez responds that violence should not be met with violence, saying he has seen the true cost of war during his service. He also compares war to the cardinals' in-fighting, claiming the Church should operate on love, not politics. Moved, the cardinals elect Benitez as Pope Innocent XIV on the seventh ballot.
Lawrence discovers Benitez's canceled medical visit was for a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Benitez explains that he is intersex and was assigned male at birth, but did not know he also had a uterus and ovaries until a recent appendectomy; the late Pope, despite knowing this, hid the secret, implying he facilitated Benitez's rise to power. Benitez goes on to explain he chose to keep his female organs, stating, "I am as God made me." Agreeing to keep Benitez's secret and entrust God divinely inspired the results, Lawrence listens to the crowds cheer Benitez's election.
It was announced in May 2022 that Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini were set to star in the film, with Edward Berger directing.[6] Additional casting was announced in January 2023 as production began in Rome.[7] Filming also took place at Cinecittà.[8] Filming concluded in March.[9]
The set designers took great care to replicate the Sistine Chapel, though they took some artistic license with the Domus Sanctae Marthae. They made their set more prison-like to enhance dramatic tension because they felt that the real version was rather dull. Costume designers visited Gammarelli, Tirelli Costumi, and several museums in Rome as part of their research. For the cardinals' red attire, costume designer Lisy Christl opted for a hue used in 17th-century cardinal vestments, rather than one from modern-day ones, believing it be "far more beautiful and far easier for our eyes".[10]
While writing the screenplay, Straughan said that he met with a Cardinal to discuss the logistics of the conclave. He also took a private tour of the Vatican, and said he did not feel hostility while there and felt that the Vatican had been open to him.
In August 2022, Black Bear Pictures' newly founded British distribution arm acquired U.K. distribution rights to the film from FilmNation Entertainment, serving as one of its first acquisitions and maiden releases in the United Kingdom; Black Bear's company Elevation Pictures also serves as Canadian distributor.[11] Steven Rales served as one of the executive producers, co-financing the film via his production company, Indian Paintbrush.[12]
In November 2023, Focus Features acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.[13] In July 2024, Conclave was announced as part of the Special Presentations section for the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival scheduled for September 8, 2024.[14] [15] The film would subsequently be announced as part of the lineup for the Telluride Film Festival, where it had its world premiere.[16] Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera explained why the film did not play at Venice: "I didn't think it was a Competition film for Venice but I invited it Out of Competition. We tried to figure out timing for it to play here and at Telluride, which they also wanted, but we couldn't find the right dates and timing for it to work. We discussed various options but couldn't get the time that suited everyone. It's a shame."[17]
The film was released in the United States on 25 October 2024.[18] It was previously scheduled for a limited theatrical release on 1 November before opening wide on the following week.[19] It was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November.[1]
, Conclave has grossed $30.3million in the United States and Canada, and $6million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $36.3million.[3] [2]
In the United States and Canada, Conclave was released alongside , and was projected to gross $4–6 million from 1,753 theaters in its opening weekend.[20] The film made $2.5 million on its first day, including $500,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $6.6 million, finishing in third;[21] The movie is aimed at significantly older sophisticated audiences. 77% of the demographic was over 35 years old, the biggest demographic being 55+ at 44%, 67% Caucasian.[22] The film then made $5 million in its second weekend (dropping 23.7%)[23] and $4.1 million in its third weekend (dropping just 18.1%), finishing in fourth and sixth place, respectively.[24]
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it an 84% overall positive score, with 62% saying they would "definitely recommend" it.
The film's cinematography received praise.[25] [26] The film's ensemble cast was also praised, with Fiennes' and Castellitto's performances receiving particular acclaim.[27] [28] [29] [30]
The plot received some criticism,[31] with Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times calling it "a pretty thin and silly mystery ... that seems like it's deeper than it actually is."[32] IndieWire
Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair said that the film rightly portrayed "both the seriousness of [the conclave] process and the campy ridiculousness of it," and thought that the film "touch[es] fingers with prestige greatness while keeping its feet firmly planted in the realm of rollicking entertainment."[34] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times noted that the film's stance towards the Roman Catholic Church mirrors Hollywood's own stance towards its film industry: "lightly cynical, self-flattering and finally myth-stoking."
Critics disagreed on the final twist. Lawson called it "reckless" and insufficiently thought through, while Variety
John Mulderig of the Catholic OSV News opined that in Conclave, "rival viewpoints within the church are caricatured with a broad brush ... and the deck is predictably stacked in favor of those who advocate change." He warned that "all moviegoers committed to the church's creeds will want to approach this earnest, visually engaging but manipulative — and sometimes sensationalist — production with caution."[36] The Archdiocese of Los Angeles' Angelus magazine complimented several of the actors' performances but dismissed the film, writing that "The problem here is not that it is full of bias against the Catholic Church. The problem is that it is just plain bad. ... At the crucial moment, [Benitez] gives a speech so full of platitudes it could have been written by ChatGPT."[37] On the other hand, the progressive National Catholic Reporter praised the film, calling it "a compelling and ecclesial call for a renewed spiritual stewardship characterized by humility, meekness, and, curiously, doubt."[38]
Kate Lucky of Christianity Today, an evangelical publication, called the film "gorgeous" and "riveting", and said that "though the film subtly advances progressive convictions, it gives cardinals of all ideological persuasions equal opportunity to fall short."[39]
Bishop Robert Barron bluntly reacted: "Just saw 'Conclave.' If you are interested in a film about the Catholic Church that could have been written by the editorial board of the New York Times, this is your movie. The hierarchy of the Church is a hotbed of ambition, corruption, and desperate egotism; Conservatives are xenophobic extremists, and the liberals are self-important schemers. None can escape this irredeemable situation. The only way forward is the embrace of the progressive buzz words of diversity, inclusion, indifference to doctrine, and the ultimate solution is a virtue signaling Cardinal who takes the Papal name of Innocent and who is a biological female. Since it checks practically every woke box, I'm sure it will win a boatload of awards, but my advice is to run away from it as fast as you can."[40]
The film has been commercially successful, particularly among an older demographic. According to box office data, nearly 50% of ticket buyers were over 55 years old, a demographic that has been less active in movie theaters since the COVID-19 pandemic.[41]