Coinciding with its PVOD debut, the drama-thriller Conclave pretty much wrapped up its domestic run by passing perhaps its final milestone. It could, however, get another boost in a couple of months if it attracts attention at the Oscars. Nominations at the Academy Awards have been known to raise a film’s profile, but Conclave has had a successful run even without the support of awards. This weekend, its sixth, the film hit the $30 million mark domestically, signaling that dramas aimed at adult audiences aren’t dead after all.
The movie grossed around half-a-million this weekend, pushing its running domestic total to $30.1 million. Conclave has also grossed around $1.5 million in overseas markets, but will likely begin its international roll-out next year, after it has established itself as an awards season favorite. Directed by Edward Berger, the movie is based on the bestselling novel by Robert Harris, and stars Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal tasked with overseeing the papal conclave. The film deals with themes of masculinity, ambition, and corruption, and has been acclaimed for its performances and writing.
Produced on a reported budget of $20 million, Conclave premiered at this year’s Telluride Film Festival, and earned excellent reviews upon release. It appears to have settled at a “fresh” 93% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics’ consensus reading, “Carrying off papal pulp with immaculate execution and career-highlight work from Ralph Fiennes, Conclave is a godsend for audiences who crave intelligent entertainment.” In his review, Collider’s Jason Gorber described the film as “tonally perfect,” and wrote that it is “a blast of brilliance, with a supremely compelling story driven by some astonishing performances.”
Can ‘Conclave’ Continue this Momentum Into Awards Season?
Berger broke out with the multiple award-winning anti-war drama All Quiet on the Western Front — a Netflix film that won four Oscars and seven BAFTAs, including Best Picture at the latter. Fiennes, on the other hand, previously led the black comedy The Menu to around $80 million worldwide in 2022. He’s being considered one of the front-runners for a Best Actor nomination for his performance as the conflicted Cardinal Lawrence. Conclave also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, Sergio Castellito, and newcomer Carlos Diehz. You can watch the film in theaters and at home, 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.
- Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- Director
- Edward Berger
- Cast
- Ralph Fiennes , Stanley Tucci , John Lithgow , Isabella Rossellini , Lucian Msamati , Carlos Diehz , Sergio Castellitto , Brian F. O’Byrne , Merab Ninidze , Jacek Koman , Rony Kramer , Joseph Mydell