In just over two weeks, Focus Features will bring viewers on a holy trip to the Vatican forConclave, the widely acclaimed new film fromAll Quiet on the Western FrontdirectorEdward Berger. The film, which made its debut at the 51st Telluride Film Festival back in August, is a political thriller set in the holy city after the death of the Pope as an election is about to get underway. Two-time Oscar nomineeRalph Fiennesplays Cardinal Lawrence, the man set to run the show and decide who will be the next figurehead of the Catholic Church. A new trailer shared today shows how the ceremonial process ultimately devolves into a chilling conspiracy tying the candidates to their predecessor.
Conclaveis based on the 2016 novel of the same name penned byRobert Harris, which explores the secretive process behind the selection of the next pope and the interconnecting relationships between the members of the papal conclave. Lawrence leads the process, with four primary candidates best positioned to take the coveted seat, along with a few emerging challengers. However, as the conclave starts exploring their options and preparing for a vote, the cardinal discovers thatthe deceased Pope carried a secret to his grave, potentially involving one or more contenders for his position. To ensure that a worthy successor is chosen,Lawrence races to uncover the truth and cut through the political maneuvering and intrigue.
Joining Fiennes in the thriller isa star-studded castplaying a mix of power players and doubters in this religious political game.Stanley Tucciembodies the shrewd and more liberal candidate, Cardinal Bellini, whileJohn Lithgowis the corrupt Cardinal Tremblay whose dealings threaten to reach the light.Carlos Diehzplays the dark horse, Cardinal Benitez, with other potential candidates includingSergio Castellito’s Cardinal Tedesco, andLucian Msamati’s Cardinal Adeyemi. Also starring isIsabella Rossellini, who plays a nun who’s just as suspicious of the leading candidates as Lawrence is.Tinker Tailor Soldier SpywriterPeter Straughanpenned the screenplay adapting Harris’s original novel for the screen.
‘Conclave’ Has Emerged as Contender for Best Picture
Since its arrival on the festival circuit,Conclavehas been among the early favorites to make a splash in the Oscar race next year. Berger has once again enraptured critics with his tale of papal conspiracy and political jockeying, earning a 91% from critics onRotten Tomatoesalong witha 9/10 from Collider’sJason Gorber. It’s particularly hailed for the stunning cinematography from Berger and the stellar performance of Fiennes, who appears primed to earn his first Best Actor nomination since 1997’sThe English Patient. For the acclaimed director, the film was a project that he was truly in love with, ashe told Collider Editor-in-ChiefSteve Weintraubthat he’d already planned for the Vatican-set thriller before taking on his awards darlingAll Quieton the Western Front:
“The good thing is that I decided to doConclavelong beforeQuiet. I’ve developed this film with Tessa Ross, the producer, and Peter Straughan, the writer, for about five to six years.I thinkConclavecame just beforeQuiet, and it just took a little bit longer to come together. Then during the campaigning forAll Quietfor the Oscar, we shot it. So, actually, when I went to the Oscars, I’d just wrapped the movie and I was kind of happy that I already made up my mind what the next movie is. I didn’t feel so much weight about it because I knew I was in love with it. I knew I wanted to do it, and it wasn’t laden, it wasn’t muddied by all the noise aroundAll Quiet.”
Conclavepremieres in theaters in the U.S. on October 25. Check out the new trailer in the player above.
Following the unexpected death of the pope, Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with overseeing the secretive conclave to elect the next pope. As the process unfolds, he uncovers a conspiracy that could shake the very foundations of the Catholic Church.
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