The Two Popes seems like an odd title since there’s usually only one pope. When Pope Benedict XVI (played here by Anthony Hopkins) retired in 2013 it had been almost 600 years since the last time a pope retired. Given pope Benedict’s decision to retire due to failing health, this created a situation in which there were two popes.
While Pope Benedict XVI pondered whether to step down or not, he had long meetings with his greatest critic, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce). The man who, as fate would have it, would go on to follow in his footsteps. The two are often portrayed as polar opposites so it’s interesting to think of the two of them spending time together discussing matters which will affect the lives of over a billion people worldwide.
Interestingly enough, the second season of HBO’s The Young Pope will have two popes as well. When the reigning pope (Jude Law) ends up in a coma, the Vatican elects a new pope (John Malkovich) to take over.
Given its release date and the fact it stars two of the most respected senior actors working today, The Two Popes will likely be positioned to compete in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories at next year’s Oscars. It’ll be interesting to see whether Netflix can repeat last year’s successful awards season campaign which saw Netflix take home four Oscars.
The Two Popes is directed by Fernando Meirelles and stars Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce. It will be released on November 27th, 2019 in the United States with an as of yet unknown U.K. release date. For international release dates click here.
Do you think The Two Popes will be an awards season contender? Let us know in the comments!
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