Following the death of Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, interest has been reignited in Conclave. The 2024 film, directed by Edward Berger, demonstrates the meticulous process behind selecting a new Pope, which the Catholic Church is preparing to do once an adequate amount of time has passed. The passing of the 88-year-old Pontiff led to a surge in viewership for the Oscar-winning film. Streaming increased by 283%, with nearly 7 million minutes watched around the globe, according to data from Luminate, an analytics firm. Netflix’s 2019 film The Two Popes saw a 417% increase in viewership, surging from 290,000 minutes watched to 1.5 million.
As church leaders prepare to lock themselves in a room in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new Pope, the increase in viewership of the film that explains the process isn’t surprising or shocking. All eyes will be on the Vatican as votes are cast, with viewers already having a sense of what is happening behind those closed doors.
Based on the 2016 novel written by Robert Harris, Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, and John Lithgow. Berger’s film received eight Oscar nominations, winning one Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. As the time nears for the real-life conclave, viewership numbers are expected to increase, and although the film was streaming on Peacock, it’s now available to stream on Prime Video as of April 22.
‘Conclave’ Gives a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Pontiff Elections in the Roman Catholic Church
4
/5
Release Date
October 25, 2024
Runtime
120 Minutes
Director
Edward Berger
The Edward Berger-directed film amassed worldwide success because it explores the conclave procedure — a thorough process in which church leaders gather at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, a city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy. There, they select the next head of the Catholic Church, otherwise known as the Bishop of Rome or the Pope.
The College of Cardinals convenes to partake in the process, and out of the 252 cardinals, only 135 are eligible to vote. They are locked in a room to make their decision, and until a 2/3 majority is reached, they are to remain in secrecy. During the papal conclave, the cardinals remain in seclusion, with the only public updates being the smoke signals: black smoke indicates an inconclusive vote, meaning they haven’t reached a decision, and white smoke indicates that a new pope has been selected.
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There is, of course, a 900-year-old “Prophecy of the Popes,” a somewhat mysterious set of predictions, typically attributed to Saint Malachy. The legend goes that Malachy experienced a vision in which he saw all future popes, up until the last one who would oversee the fall of Rome. However, with cryptic descriptions at best, it seems a bit unlikely that the Sacred College of Cardinals will take this into consideration.
Conclave, which stars Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence, is a dramatized version of the real-life religious custom, but it caught the world’s attention. Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with overseeing the paramount selection, but he finds himself caught in a web of conspiracies that could damage the reputation of the Catholic Church. There’s an intriguing look at the political ambitions of corrupt cardinals who want to gain influence within the Church. Conclave analyzes where political ambition and religion meet and how this can endanger the 2,000 years of Catholicism. The incredible cast, along with Berger, brought Robert Harris’s 2016 novel of the same name to the big screen and delved into relatable themes of faith and doubt, something that would resonate with audiences a year later.
Where To Stream ‘Conclave’ Following Pope Francis’ Death
As Catholics mourn the passing of Pope Francis, who suffered a stroke, the real-life conclave is expected to convene in 15–20 days. In the meantime, Conclave is available to stream on Prime Video at no additional cost to members. Nonmembers can sign up for a 30-day free trial, at which point you’ll have access to watch Conclave for free (as well as other films on Prime Video).
Prime Video is $14.99/month or $139/year with an Amazon Prime membership. You can also rent the movie for $5.99 on Prime Video without committing to a membership. The film was originally available to stream on Peacock, but unfortunately, it is no longer available on the streaming platform.
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