Following the passing of Pope Francis, the film 'Conclave', which deals with the papal election, is gaining renewed attention.
On the 24th, based on content search volume and other metrics, 'Conclave' ranked 6th in the WatchaPedia Hot Ranking.
The box office ranking has also seen a resurgence. Released on the 5th of last month, 'Conclave' has steadily attracted audiences, surpassing a cumulative audience of 270,000, ranking first in the box office for independent art films released in 2025. After disappearing from the rankings following its release on VOD, it reappeared at 7th on the 21st, then climbed to 5th on the 22nd and 6th on the 23rd.
In the United States, viewership for 'Conclave' has also increased. Local media reported that, citing data from the online streaming market research firm Luminate, the streaming watch time for the film 'Conclave' surged significantly starting on the 21st. The total watch time for 'Conclave' on Amazon Prime Video was about 1.8 million minutes on the 20th, but skyrocketed to 6.9 million minutes on the 21st when the news of Pope Francis's passing was announced.
Based on the novel of the same name, 'Conclave' is a thriller that uncovers the conflicts, conspiracies, and betrayals hidden behind the secretive world of the conclave that elects a new pope. Directed by Edward Berger, known for 'All Quiet on the Western Front', it won the Adapted Screenplay award at this year's Academy Awards.
The conclave is the electoral system by which the Roman Catholic Church elects a pope, convening a secret meeting of cardinals with voting rights upon the pope's passing. A pope is elected by receiving more than two-thirds of the votes, and when a candidate is chosen, white smoke is released to announce it.
The film thrillingly depicts the papal election process, led by Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) as the head of the conclave, conducted in complete isolation from the outside world. The conflict between progressive and conservative cardinals, along with the oscillation between confusion and certainty, provides a high level of immersion.
The unique characters of the cardinals and the beautiful mise-en-scène add to the viewing pleasure. The performances of actors Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci have garnered acclaim.
Following the passing of Pope Francis, global attention is focused on the conclave for the election of a new pope. Among the attendees is Cardinal Yoo Heung-sik (74), the only Korean and the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. Cardinal Yoo is also one of the 12 strong candidates for the next pope, as selected by the Italian daily Corriere della Sera. The possibility of the first pope from Korea and Asia is also being discussed.
In this context, 'Conclave' is once again becoming a topic of conversation as a work that anyone can engage with thrillingly, regardless of its religious background.
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
