The Two Popes
Updated: 12/16/2025, 9:14:32 PM Wikipedia source
The Two Popes is a 2019 biographical drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles and written by Anthony McCarten, adapted from McCarten's play The Pope which premiered at Royal & Derngate Theatre in 2019. Predominantly set in Vatican City in the aftermath of the Vatican leaks scandal, the film follows Pope Benedict XVI, played by Anthony Hopkins, as he attempts to convince Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, played by Jonathan Pryce, to reconsider his decision to resign as an archbishop as he confides his own intentions to abdicate the papacy. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2019. It began a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 27, 2019, and in the United Kingdom on November 29, and started digital streaming on December 20, by Netflix. The performances of Pryce and Hopkins, as well as McCarten's screenplay, received high praise from critics, and all three received nominations for their work at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards.
Infobox
Directed by
Fernando Meirelles
Screenplay by
Anthony McCarten
Based on
The Popeby Anthony McCarten
Produced by
mw- Dan Lin Jonathan Eirich Tracey Seaward
Starring
Anthony Hopkins Jonathan Pryce
Cinematography
César Charlone
Edited by
Fernando Stutz
Music by
Bryce Dessner
Productioncompany
Rideback
Distributed by
Netflix
Release dates
August 31, 2019 (2019-08-31) (Telluride) November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27) (United States) November 29, 2019 (2019-11-29) (United Kingdom)
Running time
125 minutes
Countries
United Kingdom United States Italy Argentina
Languages
English Spanish Italian
Budget
$40 million
Box office
$758,711
Tables
· Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Date of ceremony
February 9, 2020
Category
Best Actor
Recipients
Jonathan Pryce
Result
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Date of ceremony
Anthony Hopkins
Category
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Anthony McCarten
Category
Nominated
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Date of ceremony
February 2, 2020
Category
Outstanding British Film
Recipients
Fernando MeirellesDan LinJonathan EirichTracey SeawardAnthony McCarten
Result
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Date of ceremony
Jonathan Pryce
Category
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Date of ceremony
Anthony Hopkins
Category
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Anthony McCarten
Category
Nominated
Best Casting
Best Casting
Award
Best Casting
Date of ceremony
Nina Gold
Category
Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Award
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Date of ceremony
January 12, 2020
Category
Best Supporting Actor
Recipients
Anthony Hopkins
Result
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Anthony McCarten
Category
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Date of ceremony
January 5, 2020
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Recipients
The Two Popes
Result
Nominated
Best Actor – Drama
Best Actor – Drama
Award
Best Actor – Drama
Date of ceremony
Jonathan Pryce
Category
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Date of ceremony
Anthony Hopkins
Category
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Anthony McCarten
Category
Nominated
Hollywood Film Awards
Hollywood Film Awards
Award
Hollywood Film Awards
Date of ceremony
November 3, 2019
Category
Hollywood Screenwriter Award
Recipients
Anthony McCarten
Result
Won
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Award
Satellite Awards
Date of ceremony
December 19, 2019
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Recipients
The Two Popes
Result
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Award
Best Supporting Actor
Date of ceremony
Anthony Hopkins
Category
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Date of ceremony
Anthony McCarten
Category
Nominated
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Date of ceremony
Luka Canfora
Category
Nominated
Best Art Direction and Production Design
Best Art Direction and Production Design
Award
Best Art Direction and Production Design
Date of ceremony
Mark TildesleySaverio Sammali
Category
Nominated
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | February 9, 2020 | Best Actor | Jonathan Pryce | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Anthony Hopkins | Nominated | |||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Anthony McCarten | Nominated | |||
| British Academy Film Awards | February 2, 2020 | Outstanding British Film | Fernando MeirellesDan LinJonathan EirichTracey SeawardAnthony McCarten | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Jonathan Pryce | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Anthony Hopkins | Nominated | |||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Anthony McCarten | Nominated | |||
| Best Casting | Nina Gold | Nominated | |||
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | January 12, 2020 | Best Supporting Actor | Anthony Hopkins | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Anthony McCarten | Nominated | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | January 5, 2020 | Best Motion Picture – Drama | The Two Popes | Nominated | |
| Best Actor – Drama | Jonathan Pryce | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Anthony Hopkins | Nominated | |||
| Best Screenplay | Anthony McCarten | Nominated | |||
| Hollywood Film Awards | November 3, 2019 | Hollywood Screenwriter Award | Anthony McCarten | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | December 19, 2019 | Best Motion Picture – Drama | The Two Popes | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Anthony Hopkins | Nominated | |||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Anthony McCarten | Nominated | |||
| Best Costume Design | Luka Canfora | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction and Production Design | Mark TildesleySaverio Sammali | Nominated |
References
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- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2017/film/news/netflix-pope-movie-anthony-hopkins-jonathan-pryce-1202549052/
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- Screen Dailyhttps://www.screendaily.com/news/jojo-rabbit-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood-radioactive-among-world-premieres-at-toronto/5141412.article
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- IndieWirehttps://www.indiewire.com/2019/12/box-office-oscar-contenders-uncut-gems-bombshell-malick-a-hidden-life-1202197382/
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- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2019/film/in-contention/adam-driver-renee-zellweger-the-two-popes-telluride-oscar-buzz-1203321051/
- The Two Popeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_two_popes
- The Two Popeshttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-two-popes
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- "2019 Winners"https://www.pressacademy.com/2019-ipa-awards/
- "Full text of Benedict XVI essay: 'The Church and the scandal of sexual abuse'"https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/41013/full-text-of-benedict-xvi-essay-the-church-and-the-scandal-of-sexual-abuse
- "Pope Benedict Breaks 6-Year Silence To Comment On Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal"https://www.npr.org/2019/04/11/712409110/pope-benedict-breaks-6-year-silence-to-comment-on-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal
- New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/world/europe/pope-benedict-letter-sex-abuse.html
- "The True Story Behind the Movie The Two Popes"https://time.com/5753982/the-two-popes-movie-true-story/
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/19/two-popes-plotting-cardinals-francis-benedict-celibacy-rules
- U.S. Catholichttps://www.uscatholic.org/articles/202001/netflixs-two-popes-blurry-line-between-fact-fiction-31934
- NBC Newshttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/pope-francis/pope-francis-hasnt-watched-tv-1990-misses-going-out-pizza-n364391
- Word on Firehttps://www.wordonfire.org/articles/barron/the-one-pope/
- Wiredhttps://www.wired.com/story/conclave-viewership-shot-up-283-percent-following-pope-francis-death/
- San Francisco Chroniclehttps://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/pope-francis-conclave-movies-20286626.php
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/world/europe/francis-two-popes-movie-book.html
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz95ve3z9z1o