Conclave (2024)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A cardinal must navigate a web of secrets and scandals while organizing the election of a new pope.
The story
Following the pope's fatal heart attack, the College of Cardinals, led by Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, convenes to elect a successor. Four primary candidates emerge, each representing different ideological stances within the Church. As the deliberations begin, Lawrence must navigate the internal politics and hidden agendas of the voting members. The process is complicated by the sudden arrival of a new candidate and the discovery of clandestine maneuvers and secrets that threaten to disrupt the sacred proceedings of the conclave.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the pope's fatal heart attack, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence leads the College of Cardinals in electing a successor among four main candidates: the progressive Bellini, the conservative Adeyemi, the moderate Tremblay, and the traditionalist Tedesco. The process is complicated by the arrival of a surprise candidate, Vincent Benítez. Lawrence uncovers a conspiracy involving Tremblay and a secret past involving Adeyemi and a nun. On the third day, an explosion in the Sistine Chapel leads to a tense debate on faith and modern values. The college eventually elects Benítez as Pope Innocent XIV. However, Lawrence later discovers Benítez's unique biological reality—he was born with both male and female reproductive organs—which he chose to keep as 'God made him.'
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Edward Berger
- Writers
- Peter Straughan · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ralph Fiennes · Cardinal Thomas Lawrence; Stanley Tucci; John Lithgow; Isabella Rossellini; Sergio Castellitto
- Genres
- political thriller; mystery thriller
- Themes
- religious mission; internal politics; faith vs. doubt
- Tone and mood
- suspenseful; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- religious mystery; political intrigue
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2016 novel by Robert Harris
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, directing, screenplay, and cinematography.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 54; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 84% · scale: percentage
- Awards and nominations
- Best Film · British Academy Film Awards · win; Best Screenplay · Golden Globe Award · win; Best Adapted Screenplay · Academy Awards · win; Best Picture · Academy Awards · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's popularity surged following the death of Pope Francis in April 2025.; Several cardinals watched the film to understand the process for the papal election.; The costume designer chose a 17th-century hue for the cardinals' robes.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…