The 2024 political thriller Conclave, which saw Ralph Fiennes nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, is coming to Peacock on February 13th. Though Adrien Brody ultimately won the award for The Brutalist, Fiennes’ performance – considered one of his best, following acclaimed roles in films like Schindler’s List and The English Patient – was a strong contender. Now, fans can revisit or discover this highly-regarded recent thriller.
The movie Conclave came out at a strange time. Although it was fictional, a real-life event happened shortly after its release that closely resembled the film’s plot. When Pope Francis died in April 2025, people turned to Conclave hoping it might offer some insight. Instead, they found a thrilling and shocking story with an unexpected ending. This made comparing the movie to the actual papal conclave happening in Vatican City seem a bit unsettling.
What Is Ralph Fiennes’ ‘Conclave’ About?
In Conclave, the pope has died, and Thomas Lawrence is tasked with planning the procedure to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church. Lawrence gathers the potential candidates and those backing them, officially beginning the conclave. The problem is that personalities collide, and Lawrence is convinced that electing the successor will not be an easy task. Not only that, but when he starts digging into the past of the late leader, he finds out that the next potential pope may be hiding a secret that could change everything. The official synopsis goes as follows:
Conclave offers a glimpse into the highly secretive and centuries-old process of choosing a new Pope. After the sudden death of the current Pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is responsible for overseeing the closed-door selection. As the world’s leading Catholic cardinals gather and are locked inside the Vatican, Lawrence discovers hidden secrets left by the deceased Pope – secrets that could threaten the Church itself.
‘Conclave’ Has an Ending That May Shake You to Your Core
We won’t reveal the ending of Conclave – it’s much more enjoyable if you go in knowing nothing! The conclusion genuinely surprised Radhika Seth from Vogue. In her review, she described being on the edge of her seat throughout the voting, and said the final twist was shocking. She called it a complete treat for the eyes and ears, and a truly exciting experience – exactly what we all need right now.
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Let’s offer a hint: What single event could completely destroy the Catholic Church’s foundations? What if the next pope wasn’t what anyone expected? If you’re considering a pope who breaks with tradition, you’re getting closer to the answer.
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2026-02-09 00:40