The Two Popes – Copyright. Netflix
Two Popes walk onto a film set… while that does sound like the start of a potentially spicy joke, this was the actual reality for those involved in the filming of Netflix’s The Two Popes. With Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce portraying Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, respectively, we can’t wait to see the intriguing take on the controversial retirement of Pope Benedict. We have everything you need to know so far on The Two Popes, including the plot, cast, trailer, and Netflix release date.
The Two Popes is an upcoming Netflix Original biographical comedy-drama based on the 2017 play The Pope by Anthony McCarten. Anthony McCarten also wrote the story of the film. His most well-known work was writing on films such as The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour and Bohemian Rhapsody. Serving as the director was Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardner).
What is the plot of The Two Popes?
The official synopsis was provided by Netflix:
An intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world. Inspired by true events.
Who is in the cast of The Two Popes?
The following cast members star in The Two Popes:
| Role | Cast Member | Where Have I Seen/Heard Them Before? |
|---|---|---|
| Pope Francis | Jonathan Pryce | Tomorrow Never Dies | The Wife | Pirates of the Caribbean |
| Pope Benedict | Anthony Hopkins | The Silence of the Lambs | Hitchcock | Hannibal |
| Pope Francis Young | Juan Minujín | El marginal | Cowboy | Only You |
| Cardinal Turkson | Sidney Cole | The Legend of 1900 | Felicia’s Journey | Finney |
| Medina Estevez | Federico Torre | Sangue caldo | Heaven | One Man Up |
Is Jonathan Pryce the Pope?
When Pope Francis was announced as the new Pope in 2013, it wasn’t long before the internet saw the resemblance between the veteran actor and leader of the catholic church.
The resemblance between the pair is uncanny
As you can see from the image above, the resemblance is striking.
Even Jonathan Pryce’s son questioned whether or not his father was the new leader of the Catholic Church, jokingly texting his father “Dad, are you the Pope?”
When did production take place?
Filming took place in 2018, with principal photography starting on May 11th. Filming had concluded by the 28th of September, and the film went into post-production before its eventual release at Telluride Film Festival.
Where did production take place?
Numerous locations were used for filming, such as:
- Rome, Italy
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Uruguay
- Spain
- Argentina (Various Locations)
- Italy (Various Locations)
What is the run time for The Two Popes?
The official run time for The Two Popes is 125 minutes.
What is the rating for The Two Popes?
The official rating for The Two Popes is PG-13.
Will The Two Popes be available in 4K?
As the film was shot with an 8K camera, it will most certainly be available to stream in 4K upon its Netflix release.
Has Netflix released a trailer for The Two Popes?
A teaser trailer was released on August 29th, 2019, just in time for its premiere at Telluride Film Festival.
When is the Netflix release date for The Two Popes?
After The Two Popes has had its limited theatrical release in the US and UK it will be available to stream on the 20th of December, 2019.
The Two Popes has already premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on the 31st of August, 2019.
The limited theatrical release dates for the US and UK are November 27th, and November 29th, respectively.
Will The Two Popes be available to stream worldwide?
For its digital release, The Two Popes will be exclusively available to Netflix worldwide.
What are the current ratings?
Out of the current 228 votes on IMDb, The Two Popes stands at a respectable 7.5 out of 10.
Meanwhile, Rotten Tomatoes has it rated at 88% out of 26 reviews.
Finally, Metacritic has it listed with an outstanding score of 83 out of 100, but there are still more reviews to come upon its limited theatrical and digital release.
These ratings were taken at the time of writing.
Are you looking forward to the release of The Two Popes? Let us know in the comments below!
