Having delivered a respectable performance at the domestic box office, the drama-thrillerConclavehas begun its international roll-out ahead of the Oscars season. The movie is expected to be a top contender across various categories, and appears to be ticking all the right boxes commercially as well.Conclaveis nowapproaching a new global box office milestone, having already earned over twice its reported production budget. The movie is based on the 2016 novel of the same name byRobert Harris, and followsthe tense eventssurrounding the election of a new Pope.
With $31 million domestically and another $26 million from overseas markets,Conclavehas earned a cumulative global haul of $57 million so far. It should pass the $60 million milestone this weekend. The movie was produced on a reported budget of $20 million, which makes it a terrific little hit at a time when the viability of movies aimed at adult audiences was being called into question. Directed byEdward Berger,Conclaveopened to excellent reviews, and appears to have settled at a “fresh” 93% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes.
The film’s audience score on RT stands at 86%.In his review, Collider’sJason Gorberdescribed the film as “tonally perfect,” and called it “a blast of brilliance, with a supremely compelling story driven by some astonishing performances.”ConclavestarsRalph Fiennesin the lead role of a cardinal tasked with carrying out the election of a new Pope, while battling ambitious men with brittle egos, and contemplating his own loss of faith.
‘Conclave’ Is a Major Awards Contender
Berger broke onto the scene with the anti-war epicAll Quiet on the Western Front, which earned nine Academy Award nominations a couple of years ago, and won the BAFTA for Best Film. Fiennes starred in the critically acclaimed dark comedyThe Menu, which made around $80 million worldwide in 2022. He has emerged as quite the bankable movie star in recent years, which is especially remarkable at a time when the industry is flooded by IP-driven properties. The acclaimed film also starsStanley Tucci,John Lithgow,Sergio Castellitto, andIsabella Rossellini.
Conclaveis available to stream on Peacock, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Following the unexpected death of the pope, Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with overseeing the secretive conclave to elect the next pope. As the process unfolds, he uncovers a conspiracy that could shake the very foundations of the Catholic Church.
Watch on Peacock
