The world’s eyes are on “Conclave.”
That includes both the secretive process to pick a new pope, which will begin sometime between May 5 and 10, following the death of Pope Francis, and the Oscar-winning movie about the centuries-old Catholic ritual starring Ralph Fiennes.
Viewership of the 2024 film, which was nominated for Best Picture and won Best Adapted Screenplay, boomed 283% on Monday following news the pope had died from a stroke and heart failure at age 88.
According to streaming tracker Luminate, “Conclave” generated 6.9 million minutes viewed on April 21 — the day the pontiff died — up from 1.8 million on April 20.
The movie, which won the BAFTA for Best Film, is also billed as “No. 2 in the US” on Prime Video, where it has been free for members to watch since Tuesday.
“Conclave” has been lauded for its focus on details and accuracy surrounding the papal election. But, once the Sistine Chapel is locked with the 252 cardinals inside, nobody else knows everything that goes on.
“They won’t tell you what happens behind closed doors in the conclave,” the film’s director Edward Berger told The Post. “And there are certain things you have to take license with.”
The team was also limited as to what they could actually film in Vatican City.
“There’s a white line on St. Peter’s Square,” Berger said.
“And that white line means no commercial photography allowed beyond this point. And so, [we had] to re-create the feeling of the Vatican — the cohesiveness of the Vatican — by picking and choosing many locations in and around Rome.”
In a 3 ½-star review, The Post called “Conclave” “a scandal-stuffed mystery that depicts Catholic cardinals as power-hungry politicos who put their self-interests ahead of their billion-strong flock.”
The tense movie pits Stanley Tucci’s progressive Cardinal Bellini against Sergio Castellitto’s conservative Cardinal Tedesco — as other surprise contenders emerge throughout the multiple, contentious rounds of voting. A mysterious nun played by Isabella Rossellini watches the action unfold.
Pope Francis’ body is currently lying in state for three days of public viewing. His funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26 at 4 a.m. ET.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
