As the world turns its gaze to the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals have gathered to elect the next pope following the passing of Pope Francis, cinematic portrayals of the Vatican have found a renewed relevance among film aficionados. From brooding thrillers to psychological dramas on pontiffs, these Vatican-based films offer a lens into the secret world behind the papal throne.
Conclave (2024)
Directed by Edward Berger and based on Robert Harris’s bestselling novel of the same name, Conclave is a fast-paced thriller that bagged an Oscar for best adapted screenplay. The film takes audiences to a papal conclave, where cardinals gather to elect the next Pope, revealing power struggles, covert alliances, and shocking revelations. Ralph Fiennes plays Cardinal Lawrence, whose duty to oversee the election turns into a battle of loyalty and faith.
Stream it on: Prime Video
The Two Popes (2019)
Directed by Fernando Meirelles, this eloquent drama based on true events features Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce in career-defining performances as Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (the future Pope Francis), respectively. The Two Popes explores the ideological clash between traditionalism and progressivism as the two popes discuss the Church's future in the wake of a faith crisis. With much of the action set in the papal gardens and halls of the Vatican, it's an intimate look at the weight of the papacy.
Stream it on: Netflix
Angels & Demons (2009)
Adapted from Dan Brown’s bestseller, this slick thriller directed by Ron Howard throws symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) into a race against time as the Vatican becomes the target for a deadly Illuminati attack in the middle of a conclave to elect the next pope. While dramatised to the hilt, Angels & Demons revels in the secret rituals and traditions of papal succession, making it eerily relevant now.
Stream it on: Prime Video
The Young Pope (2016)
Jude Law’s magnetic, unpredictable Pope Pius XIII is the protagonist of this Paolo Sorrentino-directed limited series that became the first TV show to be screened at the Venice International Film Festival in 2016.
The Young Pope follows Pope Pius XIII as he upends Vatican tradition with authoritarian reforms. As senior clergy plot to curb his radicalism, it is revealed that his actions stem from deep emotional wounds and a longing for his absent parents.
The show had a spinoff-sequel, The New Pope (2021), with Jude Law reprising his role as Pope Pius XIII and John Malkovich playing Pope John Paul III.
Stream it on: Prime Video
We Have a Pope (2011)
What happens when a newly elected pope panics and runs away from his responsibilities? The Italian drama We Have a Pope, directed by Nanni Moretti, takes a bittersweet, often humorous look at the psychological toll of assuming the world’s most spiritual office. The story follows a cardinal, played by Michel Piccoli, who is unexpectedly chosen as pope despite his reluctance. Struggling with overwhelming anxiety, he seeks the help of a psychoanalyst.
Stream it on: YouTube