‘Conclave’ trailer: Ralph Fiennes leads papal thriller from ‘All Quiet’ director Edward Berger [Watch]
Ralph Fiennes takes the pulpit in Edward Berger’s new thriller “Conclave,” the upcoming Focus Features release that stands among the early awards favorites this year. On Thursday, the studio released the first trailer for “Conclave,” Berger’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Robert Harris and adapted for the screen by Peter Straughan (“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”), “Conclave” focuses on Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes) who is tasked with leading the selection process for a new pope after the current church leader dies unexpectedly. “Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church,” reads a synopsis by Focus.
Fiennes, a previous Oscar nominee who has never won an Academy Award, leads the film’s broad ensemble with several notable actors – including former Oscar nominees Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow – playing cardinals with eyes toward claiming the papacy.
The cast also includes Isabella Rossellini as “Sister Agnes, a nun who at first seems invisible as she serves the most powerful patriarchy in the world, yet ultimately serves as a crucial witness to the true nature of that power.” Other members of the ensemble are Italian star Sergio Castellitto (Cardinal Tedesco), British actor Lucian Msamati (Cardinal Adeyemi), Irish-born actor Brian F. O’Byrne (O’Malley), and newcomer Carlos Diehz.
Berger assembled a top-flight crafts team for “Conclave,” including Oscar-winning composer Volker Bertelmann (“All Quiet on the Western Front”), cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine (“A Prophet,” and “Jackie”), and production designer Suzie Davies (“Mr. Turner,” “Saltburn”).
“Conclave” is an early contender in several Oscar categories according to the nascent Gold Derby odds, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Fiennes. The hype train for the two-time nominee, who was last recognized by the academy for 1996’s “The English Patient,” has already started, with Focus calling the actor’s work a “career-defining role” in press materials.
“He finds himself in a crisis of faith—it’s really about a quiet man surrounded by men who vie for power as he tries to rediscover his faith,” Berger told Vanity Fair of Cardinal Lawrence. “[Ralph’s] diligence in terms of learning Italian and Latin—he wanted to be super accurate. He took a lot of pride in that, and a lot of pride in his craft. He wanted to get to the truth.”
Added Fiennes of his director, “Edward is very enthusiastic. He’s a real listener. He’s a real collaborator. His preparation is formidable—he immediately has the respect of everyone, actors and crew, because not only is he listening and human and inclusive, but also he knows what film he wants to make.”
Berger’s breakthrough film was Netflix’s “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which received nine Oscar nominations at the 2023 ceremony, including Best Picture. Overall, “All Quiet on the Western Front” won four Oscars, including Best International Feature, Best Score, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography. (Berger accepted the “All Quiet” Oscar for international film but the actual award goes to the home country – in this case, Germany. While he was an Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film, Berger is not yet an Oscar winner as an individual.)
“Conclave” is out in theaters starting on November 1.
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