As the Catholic Church begins preparations for a conclave following the death of Pope Francis, viewers will soon be able to stream Conclave, a political thriller set within the Vatican’s corridors of power.
The 2024 film, directed by Edward Berger and based on Robert Harris’ bestselling novel, premieres on Amazon Prime Video on April 22 just as the world reflects on the legacy of the pontiff who died from a stroke, as confirmed by Vatican doctors on Friday.
Francis, who served as the 266th pope since 2013, died after suffering a cerebrovascular event in the early hours of April 21. He was 88.
The real-life developments have lent new gravity to the film’s depiction of the papal election process—a secretive, tradition-laden event now in motion in Rome.
Rocco Spaziani/AP Photos
Why It Matters
The confluence of fiction and reality has stirred renewed interest in the 2024 Conclave film, which dramatizes the intrigue and moral questions inside the College of Cardinals during the selection of a new pope. Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, a man tasked with overseeing the election but drawn into a web of secrets, ambition, and spiritual crisis.
The movie reached $100 million at the box office, according to Variety. The cast features big names, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. The movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards, but in the end, it only took home one Oscar, Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film provides audiences with timely insight into the rituals and politics that are now unfolding in real time.
Where to Watch the Movie ‘Conclave’
Conclave will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video starting April 22. The movie was previously available to stream on Peacock but was removed from the platform early this month.
In the meantime, the movie is available to rent or buy on many platforms, including YouTube, Apple TV, Fandango At Home and Google Play.
How Close Is the ‘Conclave’ Movie to Actual Events?
The film, while grounded in the authentic setting of a papal conclave, takes creative liberties with its narrative. The election process is dramatized to emphasize personal secrets and political maneuvering, rather than a strict reenactment of Vatican protocol.
Berger, who previously helmed All Quiet on the Western Front, crafts an atmosphere of suspense, but the storyline diverges from actual conclave procedures. The movie, based on the 2016 by the same name, imagines a fictional pope’s death and the subsequent election with characters and twists created by novelist Harris.
Still, the visual representation of the Sistine Chapel and the ceremonial details are meant to evoke the real process closely, albeit with added tension.
In reality, the papal conclave, or the process of electing a new pope, must begin within 15 to 20 days following Pope Francis‘ death. It is a gathering of the College of Cardinals, who meet in the Sistine Chapel under strict secrecy to cast their votes. Ballots are counted and burned after each round—black smoke signals an inconclusive vote, while white smoke announces an election. The conclave is initiated following the death or resignation of a pope and is designed to ensure a prayerful and deliberate decision.
What Did ‘Catholic Review’ Think of ‘Conclave’?
In its October 2024 review, John Mulderig of Catholic Review described Conclave as a visually striking yet ideologically charged drama. While the film benefits from “a serious, even lugubrious, tone and a top-flight cast,” it ultimately plays out as a “power-struggle potboiler kept roiling by attention-grabbing plot developments.”
Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, navigating the papal election following the sudden death of a fictional pope. The review notes that while the film aims for depth, it often slips into caricature, saying “rival viewpoints within the church are caricatured with a broad brush” and that “the deck is predictably stacked in favor of those who advocate change.”
Berger’s adaptation of Harris’ novel also comes under fire for inaccuracies—the review reported that “the movie gets canon law wrong,” particularly in its treatment of a secret cardinal appointment that should have been invalid. Additionally, it contains a plot twist the review calls “offensively exploitative” and “loopy,” involving a symbolic revelation rather than a realistic or ethical issue.
What’s Next
With Pope Francis now laid to rest, preparations begin for the real-life conclave that could mirror—if not the drama, then at least the solemnity—of the film’s depiction. The Vatican has not announced a precise date, but tradition holds that the selection of the next pope must commence within three weeks of a pontiff’s death.
For viewers eager to better understand the rituals and stakes involved, Conclave offers a timely, if fictionalized, glimpse behind the curtains of papal power. As the cardinals ready themselves to cast ballots beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes, audiences can now watch Fiennes do the same from the comfort of their living rooms.
