Ralph Fiennes's Buzzy Papal Thriller 'Conclave' Lands November Release Date

For all that it's been around for thousands of years at this point, the institution of the Catholic Church is still fascinating to many people. The Church has centuries of tradition behind it, from the colors of the vestments priests wear on particular Sundays to the prayers that will feel familiar no matter what country you're attending Mass in. The ritual of it all is both moving and powerful for those who practice the Faith and those who don't. (It's also why we get so many movies about exorcisms, honestly.) Buzzy thriller Conclave aims to take moviegoers into the heart of one of the Church's most secretive and mysterious bits of bureaucracy: The election of a new Pope.

This takes place during a conclave, the event from which this film takes its title. During this process, the Church's College of Cardinals, which is made up of members from all over the world, is secluded within the Vatican and not allowed to leave until they have chosen a new bishop of Rome. (Fun trivia fact: that's technically the Pope's other job title.)

As with many Church-related ceremonies, the voting process can be long and complicated, often involving multiple ballots over several days. (This is a vast improvement, primarily because of reforms introduced after the conclave of 1268, which lasted nearly three years.)  Adapted from Robert Harris's book of the same name, Conclave hails from director Edward Berger, whose 2022 adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning Best International Feature.