The Two Popes to Conclave: Six famous films inspired by Pope Francis and the Vatican

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88. A look at films that had Pope Francis and the Vatican's influence.

The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968): American political drama is based on Morris West’s 1963 novel about Vatican and Cold War politics. After spending decades in a Siberian Gulag labour camp, the film is about a Roman Catholic priest Kiril Lakota who is set free by Russian leader Piotr Ilyich Kamenev at the height of the Cold War.

Habemus Papam (2011): Italian-French comedy-drama We Have a Pope, directed by Nanni Moretti, revolves around a cardinal who, against his wishes, is elected pope. A psychoanalyst is called in to help the pope overcome his panic.

The Young Pope (2016): It is a satirical drama television series created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. It is a show about the construction of faith, both on a macro-level and an individual one.

The Two Popes (2019): Biographical drama directed by Fernando Meirelles, adapted from McCarten's play The Pope. The film offers a view into the relationship between Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

The New Pope (2020): The nine-episode series is a continuation of the 2016 series The Young Pope. It follows Pope Pius XIII (Jude Law) as he falls into a coma, leaving the Holy See to choose a new pope.

Conclave (2024): The political thriller was directed by Edward Berger. In the film, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes) organises a conclave to elect the next pope and finds himself investigating secrets and scandals about the major candidates.