As the world comes to grips with the passing of Pope Francis—a pope whose tenure challenged traditional boundaries and carried the hopes of progressives within the Catholic Church—the ancient gears of the Vatican are now turning toward a conclave. The centuries-old ritual will once again unfold behind sealed doors, its mystery only intensified by the modern lens of film.
And it just so happens that the latest cinematic take on this sacred rite couldn’t have come at a more curious time.
Conclave, the 2024 Oscar-winning thriller directed by Edward Berger, was adapted from Robert Harris’s novel and starred Ralph Fiennes as a fictional cardinal swept into the hidden politics of choosing a pope. With Pope Francis now gone, the film feels less like fiction and more like a chilling, prescient dramatization.
In the film, Cardinal Lawrence, played by Fiennes, is tasked with organizing the election. But what should have been a solemn duty spirals into something darker—allegiances fracture, secrets surface, and the future of the Church hangs in delicate balance. The story grips like a vice, yes, but does it mirror the truth?
According to Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and political science Ph.D., it’s surprisingly close. “The voting procedure was done very well,” he remarked, noting that the film captured the intense isolation and ritualistic atmosphere that defines a real conclave.
But even strong scripts take liberties. Reese pointed out one particular inaccuracy: the portrayal of Cardinal Vincent Benitez as a Cardinal in pectore, a secret cardinal whose identity was never publicly revealed. In reality, such a cardinal cannot vote in a conclave unless his appointment was officially published before the pope’s death. In the film, this detail is quietly ignored.
Still, the setting feels true. The film accurately shows how, after the solemn “extra omnes” declaration, only cardinals remain in the Sistine Chapel. Their phones are gone. Contact with the outside world ceases. And the only signals sent are through colored smoke—black for indecision, white for a new pope.
With Pope Francis gone, attention now turns to the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the electors—cardinals under the age of 80—will be sequestered. They’ll eat together. Pray together. And vote, over and over, until one name earns a two-thirds majority. Their ballots, folded and placed into a chalice beneath Michelangelo’s gaze, will decide the next pontiff.
In Conclave, that choice spirals into chaos. Lawrence finds himself navigating not just politics, but personal sins, Vatican cover-ups, and even terrorism. A power struggle unfolds between frontrunners—Bellini, the American progressive; Adeyemi, the Nigerian conservative; Tremblay, the moderate Canadian; and Tedesco, a traditionalist from Italy. Each represents not only ideology, but a future the Church could choose.
The plot escalates when Lawrence uncovers that the supposedly moderate Tremblay bribed cardinals and engineered a nun’s suspicious transfer from Nigeria. And then there’s Benitez—the secret cardinal who arrives just in time. His backstory alone would shake the Curia to its core.
As fictional explosions rock the Sistine Chapel and the cardinals scramble to hold onto order, the film dares to ask: What happens when the sacred becomes entangled with the secrets we bury?
In the climax, Benitez is elected pope, taking the name Innocent. But the final twist delivers a revelation more intimate than any political scandal—one that explores identity, divinity, and the quiet humanity behind the robes.
The truth, as always, lies somewhere between incense and intrigue.
And if you’re hoping to watch Conclave now that life has eerily echoed art, you might need to wait a bit longer. The film is currently unavailable on most subscription platforms. It was briefly on Peacock, but has since transitioned out of rotation due to licensing terms between Universal and Amazon. It’s expected to be available on Amazon Prime Video (for free with subscription) by April 22 at 3 a.m. ET.
Until then, viewers can rent or purchase it on platforms like Apple TV, Amazon, or Fandango At Home.
The timing may be coincidence, but as Vatican City prepares once again to write history, Conclave offers a rare glimpse—fictional, yes, but oddly timely—into what that history might cost.