Where and How to Watch ‘Conclave,’ the New Papal Election Movie

The death of Pope Francis, 88, a modest reformer who aimed to broaden the Catholic Church’s appeal, signals the end of a period for the church and initiates one of the most arcane, illustrious, and secretive processes in history: the election of a new pope.

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after a protracted illness with double pneumonia. Following Francis’ election as the 266th pope in March 2013, the centuries-old custom of selecting his successor is now triggered by his successor.

Robert Harris’ 2016 book-turned-movie is named after the papal conclave, the highly secretive voting procedure used to select a new pope. In an interview with Time in October 2024, Harris stated that the book was inspired by the actual 2005 papal conclave that resulted in the election of Pope Benedict XVI, even though the book and movie are set during a fictitious gathering of red-cloaked cardinals who have gathered in the Eternal City to vote for the leader of the world’s approximately 1.4 billion Catholics.

The film, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, received a rating of ★★★★ from USA TODAY movie critic Brian Truitt, who said that “director Edward Berger’s wowing adaptation of the 2016 Robert Harris novel is more electric than you’d ever expect a papal potboiler to be.”

“Berger improves upon his work on the Oscar-winning ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ remake, effortlessly weaving together locked-room mystery, courtroom drama, detective tale and political thriller in one searingly tense and timely narrative,” he states.

Here are some facts about “Conclave,” such as the actors and the best streaming service to view the movie on.

What is ‘Conclave’ about?

Conclave “follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope,” according to the official summary of the movie.

Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running the covert process of selecting a new leader following the unexpected death of the pope.

According to the description, “Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church,” as some of the most influential figures in the Catholic Church gather and are imprisoned in the Vatican halls.

How to Watch ‘Conclave’

You can purchase or rent “Conclave” exclusively through on-demand services like Apple, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango.

According to Decider, the film is anticipated to be accessible to Amazon Prime members starting Tuesday, April 22, at 3 a.m. ET / midnight PT. However, Prime Video has not yet provided USA TODAY with additional details regarding the exact streaming schedule.

The movie premiered in U.S. theaters on October 25, 2024.

Did ‘Conclave’ receive any Oscars?

This political thriller was nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. Although it didn’t win that accolade, it did secure the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also received nominations for Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Editing, but unfortunately did not win in those categories.

Ralph Fiennes earned a nomination for Best Actor for his role in the film, and Isabella Rossellini was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. However, neither of them took home the award.