Popes have been featured as key characters in dozens of films and television series over the past century.
A number of powerful political dramas and some of the greatest Christian films ever made have been based on various fictional and non-fictional portrayals of the pope.
Here are the ten outstanding motion pictures and television programs examining the life and legacy of the Pope, as per a report by Screen Rant.
Conclave
It is already time to reread Edward Berger’s outstanding 2024 political thriller, Conclave, as a real conclave is scheduled to start in May and conclude with the election of a new pope. For a large portion of its theatrical run, the film was rightfully regarded as a Best Picture Oscar contender, with an ensemble cast that included John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Ralph Fiennes masterfully bringing the film’s captivatingly complex plot to life on screen.
The Two Popes
The Two Popes, one of the most celebrated films ever produced about the role of pope, dramatises the actual events of Pope Benedict XVI’s discussions with the future Pope Francis from 2005 to 2014. There is a lot of dramatic embellishment thrown into the story for good measure, even though the majority of the script is based on published and verified quotes from the two main characters, played by Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce, respectively. The Two Popes paints a picture that an interview conducted especially with the public in mind could never paint, even if what we see on screen never actually occurred.
The New Pope
Five years after its predecessor, The Young Pope, this follow-up features a new protagonist, John Malkovich’s new pope John Paul III, along with the return of Jude Law’s Pope Pius XIII and Silvio Orlando’s Cardinal Angelo Voiello. The New Pope is a welcome continuation of The Young Pope, which manages to preserve its love of delightfully villainous intrigue and wickedly dark humour, despite having a difficult act to follow. The two miniseries are excellent back-to-back if you’re looking for politically motivated subterfuge, but the show is unquestionably much more fun if you watch The Young Pope first.
Pope Francis: A Man of His Word
But not all good films or television series about the pope are historical, satirical, or political thrillers. For the majority of its 96 minutes, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, a documentary produced by Universal, features the recently departed leader of the Catholic Church speaking openly into a camera.
Due in large part to the character it centres on, the film is unquestionably captivating to watch. Pope Francis was undoubtedly a worldly thinker who could hold court charismatically on a wide range of subjects, from the nature of faith to Italian neorealist film, regardless of what else was said about him.
The Young Pope
If there was a true story behind The Borgias, then The Young Pope was the first in a series of made-up films and television series about fictitious intrigues at the Vatican. This 10-episode miniseries, in which Jude Law plays the title role, chronicles the efforts of a young American pope who was recently elected to bring about a drastic reform of the Catholic Church. As those at the top of the Church try to thwart the reforms Jude Law’s character is attempting to implement, Angelo Voiello, the machiavellian cardinal in The Young Pope, employs his cunning tactics to try to quell Pope Pius XIII’s ambitions.
The Borgias
The rise of the real-life House of Borgia, a wealthy Spanish noble family that gained control of the papacy through the election of Pope Alexander VI, is the subject of the compelling historical-political drama The Borgias. This pope is portrayed by Jeremy Irons as a cunning manipulator who will do whatever it takes to achieve his and his family’s goals. Fans of exciting costume dramas like Game of Thrones and Wolf Hall will love this TV series, which is one of the most binge-worthy shows Showtime has ever produced. Even though its TV network decided to cut costs by cancelling the show after three seasons, it has only become more well-known since then and is still regarded as one of the greatest pope-related dramas ever made.
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Charlton Heston gives one of his most poignant performances in The Agony and the Ecstasy, despite the fact that it isn’t usually regarded as one of his best films. The film, which stars Heston as Michelangelo opposite Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II, focusses on the main character’s painting of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, his creative process, and the emotional reaction his work evokes. The Agony and the Ecstasy, which was directed by Carol Reed, whose most well-known films are The Third Man and Oliver!, is also a good work, albeit not on the same level of brilliance.
We Have A Pope
The Italian-French black comedy We Have a Pope (originally Habemus Papam in Italy) depicted the Holy See in a very different way, nearly forty years after historical dramas like Becket and The Agony and the Ecstasy. Similar to Conclave, the film chronicles the election of a new pope, but because of its comedic bent, it takes a more satirical approach.
Despite this, We Have a Pope’s plot twist is nearly as clever as Conclave’s. The movie raises the sensitive and incredibly human question of how psychotherapy can coexist with Catholic doctrine, making it a papal mystery that is well worth seeing.
Martin Luther
Besides the Irish actor Niall MacGinnis in the title role, Philip Leaver portrays Pope Leo X in this iconic biopic about the father of the Protestant Reformation. The restoration of Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica is associated with Pope Leo X. Martin Luther’s theory states that the pope paid for this building project by giving worshippers indulgences, which are a type of forgiveness in the Catholic Church, and clerical titles in return for donations. Despite some historical errors, the film, which was co-produced by the Lutheran Church, is generally enjoyable to watch and rarely deviates into overt dogmatism.
Becket (1964)
Becket is more than just one of the greatest pope-related films ever produced. Along with films like Goodbye, Mr. Chips and Lawrence of Arabia, it is one of the greatest films in Peter O’Toole’s illustrious acting career. O’Toole portrays the erratic King Henry II, who unpredictably names Richard Burton’s character, Thomas Becket, a commoner, as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the highest religious position in England. In the ensuing turbulent political drama, which is full of intrigue, Pope Alexander III is compelled to step in and defend the Catholic Church’s interests.
FAQs
What’s the plot of the movie Conclave?
Conclave depicts the secretive election of a new pope following the death of a pontiff, which is fraught with suspense and political intrigue.
Which television shows provide a modern take on the Vatican?
The Young Pope and The New Pope both tell fictional but gripping stories set within the Vatican’s walls.
