The holidays delivered a trio of movies aimed at adult audiences that defied box office odds with admirable success. Along with the horror filmNosferatuand the music biopicA Complete Unknown, the drama-thrillerConclaveprovided textbook counter-programming in a landscape dominated by family-friendly tent poles. Each of these movies has emerged as a hit, withNosferatuleading the pack thanks to its $173 million global haul.Conclave, on the other hand, is about to pass an all-important milestone in the wake of its eight Oscar nominations.
With $32 million domestically and another $62 million from overseas markets,Conclave’scumulative global haul stands at a hair under $95 million. It should be able to surpass this milestone sometime during the week, andwill eventually hit the $100 million markas well. Based onthe popular novel byRobert Harris,Conclaveis directed byEdward Berger, and follows the trials and tribulations of a Cardinal tasked with overseeing the election of a new Pope. During the course of the highly secretive process, the Cardinal discovers several unsavory details about the candidates, causing him to question his faith, both in God and democracy.
Ralph Fiennesplays the lead character, with supporting roles being filled out by the likes ofJohn Lithgow,Stanley Tucci,Isabella RosselliniandSergio Castellitto.Conclavewas allowed to essentially conclude its domestic run before being launched overseas. In fact, it wasavailable to be streamed on PVOD platforms before it was rolled out in major international markets. This would normally increase the chances of it being pirated, but that doesn’t seem to have deterred international audiences from checking it out.
‘Conclave’ Has Been Acclaimed by Audiences and Critics
Produced ona reported budget of $20 million,Conclavepremiered at the Telluride Film Festival to positive reviews. It currently holds a “fresh” 93% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, in addition to an equally impressive 86% audience score.In his review, Collider’sJason Gorberpraised the movie as being “tonally perfect,” and described it as “a blast of brilliance, with a supremely compelling story driven by some astonishing performances.“Conclaveearned eight nominations at the Academy Awardsrecently, nearly matching the nine nods that Berger’s previous film,All Quiet on the Western Front, earned a few years ago. Like that film,Conclavewas nominated in the Best Picture category, while Fiennes earned himself a Best Actor nod. You can watchConclaveat home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
