HBO has responded to George R.R. Martin’s recent criticisms about the second season of House of the Dragon.

It’s not always easy to adapt a novel to film or television, and no matter how faithful you are to the source material, chances are you’re going to piss someone off anyway. In the case of House of the Dragon, none other than author George R.R. Martin took aim at the second season of the HBO series in a since-deleted blog post, warning that changes made in the show will cause problems later in the story.

It may be a little embarrassing to have the creator of one of your biggest franchises publically criticize it, and HBO has now responded to Martin’s post. “There are few greater fans of George R.R. Martin and his book Fire & Blood than the creative team on House of the Dragon, both in production and at HBO,” the statement reads. “Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow. We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.“

In the post, Martin detailed his opposition to reducing the number of Aegon and Helaena’s children from three to two. While this doesn’t seem like the most egregious change, Martin believes it will have a “butterfly effect” on later seasons.

“I argued against it, for all these reasons. I did not argue long, or with much heat, however. The change weakened the sequence, I felt, but only a bit. And Ryan had what seemed to be practical reasons for it; they did not want to deal with casting another child, especially a two-year old toddler. Kids that young will inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications,” Martin wrote. “Budget was already an issue on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, it made sense to save money wherever we could. Moreover, Ryan assured me that we were not losing Prince Maelor, simply postponing him. Queen Helaena could still give birth to him in season three, presumably after getting with child late in season two. That made sense to me, so I withdrew my objections and acquiesced to the change.” Martin added, “Sometime between the initial decision to remove Maelor, a big change was made. The prince’s birth was no longer just going to be pushed back to season 3. He was never going to be born at all. The younger son of Aegon and Helaena would never appear.“

Time will tell whether this change will prove detrimental to future seasons of House of the Dragon, but as the creator of the franchise, Martin is certainly entitled to be protective of his sprawling saga and all its characters.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice seems set for an easy win at the box office this weekend, but how much will it actually make?

After a quiet couple of weeks, the box office is about to get a shot of excitement, with Tim Burton’s long-awaited Beetlejuice Beetlejuice set to rule the roost (read our review). While everyone is reasonably sure that it will top the box office this weekend, the predictions as far as how much money it will make have been all over the map. Note that the original film made $74 million in 1988, which, to adjust for inflation, would be just shy of $200 million nowadays. It was more of a sleeper than a massive blockbuster, but it became a timeless classic on home video and cable.

Some box office gurus think the sequel has a good chance of opening in the $100 million range. While I really enjoyed the sequel, I think it’ll do more along the lines of $50-60 million, which is only about half of what Box Office Pro is predicting. I’m being conservative in my estimates because I find it troubling when everyone expects a monster hit. Then, if it happens to perform just well enough, everyone dubs it a disappointment. An opening in this range would be healthy for Burton’s movie, but if it makes more, that would be great! 

Otherwise, the holdovers should be the usual suspects, with Deadpool & Wolverine on track to make about $7 million. Hot on its heels will be the Blake Lively romance, It Ends With Us, which should do about $6 million, while Alien: Romulus should be starting to wrap up its box office run with about $5 million, while Reagan should round out the top five with about $4 million.

Here are my predictions:

1. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: $60 million
2. Deadpool & Wolverine: $7 million
3. It Ends With Us: $6 million
4. Alien: Romulus: $5 million
5. Reagan: $4 million

Do you think I’m way off as far as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice goes? Let us know in the comments! 

Jamie Foxx will take the stage for a three-night stand in Atlanta where he will discuss information related to his 2023 health scare.

It has been well over a year since Jamie Foxx experienced what was being called a “medical complication.” And considering how little we still know about it, it’s still being referred to as that. But next month, Jamie Foxx will open up about his “serious health scare” – and more – in a new one-man special called One More Chance.

Jamie Foxx posted the information on social media this week along with white text over a black background that read, “WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS”. The post read, in part: “Join us for an unforgettable one-man show as Jamie Foxx takes the stage to share his journey through a serious health scare, filled with humor, heart, and inspiration! Experience Jamie Foxx like never before in this intimate and engaging performance, as he opens up about his struggles, triumphs, and everything in between. Get ready for a night of laughter, reflection, and genuine connection. Don’t miss this exclusive one-man show, “One More Chance: An Evening with Jamie Foxx”! Ticket information coming soon.” The shows will be held on October 3rd, 4th and 5th, all in Atlanta.

With the tease of “WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS” and the title of the show being One More Chance, we can likely expect Jamie Foxx to delve as deep into his “medical complication” as he has up to this point and see just how it affected him long term. Earlier this summer, Foxx told a small crowd that he was “gone for 20 days”, the most shocking of any information we had heard.

Considering we know Jamie Foxx more for his big screen performances, many of us may have forgotten (or never knew) that he has a history of stand-up, taking the stage for the first time back in the late ‘80s. And we can see this being a perfect venue for Foxx to present the story in a controlled environment under his own terms (we wouldn’t be surprised if phones get locked up prior). It, too, will undoubtedly be one of the most buzzed-about pop culture events of the year.

The hype is real for what has to be one of the most grotesque body horror movies since The Fly.

PLOT: An aging actress (Demi Moore) is given access to “The Substance,” which, if injected, is supposed to give her access to a younger, perfect version of herself. However, the substance also had certain rules to follow, and when she violates them, disaster soon follows.

REVIEW: The Substance was the unexpected toast of Cannes when it played there back in the spring. Critics hailed director Coralie Fargeat’s maximalist take on body horror, with many praising the fearless lead performances from Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. I went into it expecting a solid little horror satire, but I didn’t think I’d be watching the greatest body horror movie made since the heyday of David Cronenberg.

Fargeat’s movie offers Demi Moore one of her career’s best (and most grotesque) roles. She plays Elisabeth Sparkle, a one-time movie star who’s now best known for hosting a popular morning workout show. On her birthday, she’s fired by her repulsive boss (Dennis Quaid – chewing the scenery and nailing the assignment), with the new directive being that they need to hire someone young and “fresh” to take her place. 

Then, she’s approached and given access to “The Substance”, which offers her a Faustian bargain. If she injects “The Substance”, a younger, more physically perfect body will grow out of her (with her spinal column cracking open like an egg). The rule is that her younger version can only be sustained on her own for a week at a time. One week, the young version of Elizabeth, “Sue” (Margaret Qualley), gets to roam free while Elizabeth is in stasis. The next week – and vice versa. They share a consciousness/ If they violate this rule (which they soon do), the result is a complete and utter disaster.

At 140 minutes, The Substance is a slow burn as far as the horror aspect goes, with it more of a satire of Hollywood’s preoccupation with youth for the first half. As “Sue,” the younger version of Elizabeth, Margaret Qualley, is vivacious and easily manages to usurp Elizabeth’s former fame when she goes to work at her old network. Yet, despite sharing the same consciousness, the two halves grow jealous of each other, with Sue attempting to take more ownership over her life and body. The result is a physical and mental disaster for Elizabeth, who starts to resemble Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, with the prosthetic effects used impressively repulsive.

Unlike Cronenberg’s body horror films, Fargeat is more invested in the satiric angle (rather than the tragedy). The gore becomes so repulsive and over-the-top towards the end that the critic’s screening I attended grew increasingly raucous. Older audiences drawn in by Moore’s presence will be challenged by how “out there” this is, but younger genre audiences will eat this up, as it’s a real hoot.

Moore is perfectly cast and certainly fearless in the lead. Still gorgeous at sixty-two, Moore’s casting is ingenious, as anyone who grew up in the nineties no doubt remembers how her body and beauty were something the media obsessed over. If anyone knows how youth and beauty are currency in Hollywood, it’s her. As good as she’s been in plenty of movies, Moore has never had a role like this, which is like a 21st-century modern horror version of the types of roles once played by Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. This might be her What Ever Happened to Baby Jane. The fact that Moore obviously still looks so flawless makes the whole caveat that execs like the one played by Quaid think she’s over the hill somewhat of a gag unto itself. Certainly, the character played by Quaid, who’s not coincidently named Harvey (a la Weinstein), is a caricature of a very real kind of man that exists in Tinseltown. Still, the real problem here is also shown to be Elizabeth’s self-worth, which seems totally wrapped up in the adulation she receives from men and her (once) adoring public.

Margaret Qualley, as the younger version of the character, is similarly fearless, with her dazzling beauty nearly weaponizing her as Sue takes over Elizabeth’s life. Qualley’s one of those actresses who has always been nervy enough to deliver “big” performances without ever seeming self-conscious about her choices. I couldn’t imagine anyone else pulling off the turn she does here, with her and Moore perfectly complimenting each other despite rarely sharing the screen. In addition to the propulsive pace (the 140 minutes run by) and the visual style, Fargeat really emerges as one of the great new voices in horror. 

Indeed, The Substance will be extremely controversial when it comes out, but it’s getting an ideal launching pad as the opening night movie at TIFF’s Midnight Madness. MUBI, who picked this up at Cannes, likely has their biggest movie ever on their hands, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes a major indie hit. 

Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Hamm and Demi Moore star in the trailer for the new cutthroat television show from Taylor Sheridan.

Strap in for the new gritty thriller series from Paramount’s golden boy, Taylor Sheridan. The television guru is premiering a new trailer for his upcoming drama, which will be tackling the cutthroat world of the oil business. As per usual, his new series also sports an impressive cast.

Paramount+ today debuted the official trailer for the highly anticipated new original series, LANDMAN, starring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton. The drama will premiere on Sunday, November 17, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available. The series will launch with two episodes and subsequent episodes of the 10-episode first season will be available every Sunday. Co-created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, LANDMAN is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios and Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions exclusively for Paramount+.

Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, LANDMAN is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the notable 11-part podcast “Boomtown” from Imperative Entertainment and Texas Monthly, the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics. 

In addition to Thornton, the series stars Ali Larter (The Last Victim), Michelle Randolph (1923), Jacob Lofland (Joker 2), Kayla Wallace (When Calls the Heart), James Jordan (Yellowstone), Mark Collie (Nashville), Paulina Chávez (The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia), and Demi Moore (Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans). Jon Hamm (Mad Men) will star in a recurring guest role with Andy Garcia (Expendables franchise) and Michael Peña (End of Watch) also serving as guest stars.

LANDMAN is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, David Hutkin, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, Christian Wallace, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman and Stephen Kay. Dan Friedkin and Jason Hoch for Imperative Entertainment, and J.K. Nickell and Megan Creydt for Texas Monthly also executive produce. Peter Feldman serves as co-executive producer. LANDMAN is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

The series is the latest addition to Sheridan’s growing slate on Paramount+, which includes 1923, 1883, LIONESS, MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN, TULSA KING and LAWMEN: BASS REEVES. 

Pepsi is going epic for this upcoming football season with a revival of one of their former ad campaigns that featured the Roman Empire.

Close to 20 years ago, Pepsi had released an event ad titled “Roman Empire,” which featured major pop stars in music, including Beyonce, Pink, Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias as the Emperor overseeing the female singers pump up the colosseum with a new rendition of Queen’s famous “We Will Rock You.” The soft drink marketing juggernaut is back with a new ad for the 2024 NFL season. This time, the commercial is inspired by and a promotional tie-in for the upcoming Ridley Scott epic Gladiator II.

This new campaign is titled “Make Your Gameday Epic,” and it features two football fans talking about their fantasy football teams in a bar as the Pepsi they ordered transports them to a colosseum where a gladiatorial match is about to begin. The soundtrack starts pumping to the tune of “We Will Rock You” once again as NFL players Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce (who’s attempting to crossover into acting) enter the battleground in full Roman gladiator gear. Megan Thee Stallion plays the Empress this time around and she sings the rendition in this version.

Per Deadline, this ad’s director, Jake Scott, stated, “Bringing the epic world of Gladiator II to life in a modern, dynamic way through this Pepsi campaign was incredibly exciting. We wanted to create a visual spectacle that captured the energy and intensity of the sport while also paying homage to the iconic film and the original Pepsi campaign. The collaboration with Pepsi and the incredible talent involved made this project truly unforgettable.”

Marc Weinstock, Paramount Pictures’ President of Worldwide Marketing & Distribution, would also state, “What started as a theatrical brand partnership evolved into one of the biggest promotional programs in our company’s history—spanning across theatrical marketing, CBS Sports and the Paramount Global networks. A film of this scope calls for a truly epic campaign, and we can think of no more fitting collaboration on than with one of the most iconic brands in the world.”

Jenny Danzi, Head of Brand Marketing for Pepsi, added, “This gladiator-inspired campaign is a continuation of our brand’s long history of being on the forefront of culture, collaborating with iconic artists and celebrating football. Consumers are going to see the scale of this campaign everywhere they shop, making sure everyone is getting ready for gameday this fall with football, food, and ice-cold Pepsi. This seismic campaign captures the essence of the excitement and anticipation fans have for gameday and delivers the kind of entertainment our audience has come to expect from us!”

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.

Kevin Hart and Don Cheadle lead an all-star cast in this true crime limited series featuring Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, and more.

Plot: Based on the acclaimed iHeart true-crime podcast, it follows the infamous story of how an armed robbery on the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but ultimately transformed Atlanta into the “Black Mecca.” When a hustler named Chicken Man hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest, the night ends with the most brazen criminal underworld heist in Atlanta’s history. Suspected of masterminding the crime, Chicken Man is hellbent on clearing his name but must convince his old adversary, J.D. Hudson, one of the first Black detectives in the city’s desegregated police force, who is tasked with bringing those responsible to justice.

Review: The star-studded trailer for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist should be more than enough to entice audiences to check out the series. Led by Kevin Hart and Don Cheadle, Fight Night also features Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, and Terrence Howard in a series directed by Craig Brewer. Putting that cast in 1970s attire with a killer soundtrack pretty much sells itself, so I was ready to watch without diving into the true story that inspired this eight-part limited series. As I began watching the early episodes of Fight Night, I found a story that freely admits that plot elements have been changed for dramatic purposes but still offers a pulpy glimpse at the rise of Atlanta as one of the most prominent cities in the United States. Fight Night may have changed some parts of the actual story, but the talented cast still delivers a fun, watchable true crime series.

Set around Muhammad Ali’s widely publicized comeback fight, Fight Night opens with Kevin Hart playing Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams, a small-time entrepreneur looking to make it big. Pitching an after-fight party with invitees including Black crime bosses from around the country, including Frank Moten (Samuel L. Jackson), Cadillac Ritchie (Terrence Howard), and more, Chicken Man and his business partner Vivian Thomas (Taraji P. Henson) are prepared to cross to a new tier of notoriety. With gambling, women, and lots of substances to play with, Chicken Man’s vision of Atlanta becoming a Black Vegas turns into a nightmare when the high rollers at the party are robbed at gunpoint, making away with a million dollars and leaving Chicken Man as the prime suspect. With the cops, led by longtime foe Detective JD Hudson (Don Cheadle, and the crooks on his tail, Chicken Man has to clear his name and find the real thieves. Over the eight-episode series, the story unfolds with the Ali fight taking place at the end of the first episode and the aftermath of the heist taking the remainder of the series.

From the outset, Fight Night is less the story of the various characters involved on both sides of the law but instead the story of how Atlanta went from being another Southern city with a predominantly Black population to a major American city. The perception of Atlanta by characters from New York to Miami plays into the city’s rise as much as it does Chicken Man’s desire to lift himself to another level. The series does this through period-appropriate filmmaking, which gives us a Blaxploitation style look and feel to the episodes, including scene wipes, multi-camera shots showing different angles on the same event, and even a celluloid haze that thankfully avoids an overly clean digital image that almost makes the series feel as if it was made fifty years ago. Several real figures of renown are mixed into the plot, including Muhammad Ali (Dexter Darden) and actress Lola Falana (Lori Harvey).

Fight Night reunites countless actors who have worked together before (Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson) and both who have portrayed James Rhodes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Howard and Cheadle). Everyone in the cast has worked with or knows each other personally, making this series interesting on multiple levels. Seeing Cheadle and Jackson on opposite ends of the law contrasts their MCU roles, while Kevin Hart gets to act opposite a top-notch ensemble. While Fight Night does have a sense of humor, this series is presented as a drama, giving Hart another solid project to stretch his acting past his comedic roots. While Hart does not hold back from being funny when warranted, he is relatively restrained when delivering the laughs. Don Cheadle is also excellent as he plays the first Black detective in Atlanta. Cheadle and Hart share a lot of good screen time, and their dynamic makes the series work well. The rest of the cast chews the scenery without going too broad despite Terrence Howard’s wig and Samuel L. Jackson’s mustache coming close.

Developed by Shaye Ogbonna, the series features a writing staff who use the podcast of the same name as a gold mine of material but still need to add some elements to transform this story from an intriguing idea into an entertaining project. Craig Brewer, best known for Hustle & Flow and Coming 2 America, directed the series and brings the same pulpy sensibility he did in Black Snake Moan and Dolemite is My Name while not sacrificing the important messages underneath the tantalizing elements of the story. Still, in trying to make this story worth watching, Brewer and Ogbonna push close to crossing into parody by filling Fight Night with enough familiar twists that they almost feel cliche. If you check out the podcast or search the true story online, you can easily see where the changes were made, both in condensing the timeline as well as assigning blame to who carried out the crime, but they could have done so in a way that does not feel anticlimactic.

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is a good watch that breezes through eight-hour episodes that all drop simultaneously. This is a series that is easy to binge, but it can sometimes be a curse as well. Much of the material in the middle of the series could have been condensed to fit this tale into three or four fewer episodes, with the story’s core not needing to last quite as long as it does. Whether the story intrigues you enough to stick around to find out who actually committed the crime may not be worth eight hours of your time, but this cast is having fun playing these roles, and it is as fun to watch. There is a good amount of violence and nudity to keep even the most jaded viewer entertained. The production values are good enough that I do not have any complaints about the effort that went into making it. Fight Night could have been shorter, but it delivers an intriguing look into a story many may not know even happened, making it worth adding to your watchlist.

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist premieres on September 5th on Peacock.

Weeks after Lionsgate was discovered to have used generated critics’ quotes for the trailer, a newer version is released with a new intro.

Lionsgate quickly seeks to rectify their controversial marketing blunder from a couple of weeks ago. The upcoming epic fantasy film from Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis, is certainly building an interesting buzz. Coppola, a filmmaker with an outside-the-box vision, made a film that studios couldn’t figure out how to promote to a mainstream audience. Lionsgate got the distribution deal and attempted to stay ahead of the negative word-of-mouth by releasing a trailer that featured alleged harsh quotes from critics when Coppola’s beloved past films had come out.

The studio was quickly called out for manifesting these quotes used in the trailer an pulled it from their official outlets. Lionsgate would also issue an apology. “Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis,” said a Lionsgate spokesperson. “We offer our sincere apologies to the critics involved and to Francis Ford Coppola and American Zoetrope for this inexcusable error in our vetting process. We screwed up. We are sorry.“ Now, a newly revised trailer has been released from Lionsgate without the quotes and the beginning is replaced with new artsy clips from the film while the narration retains Laurence Fishburne’s voiceover, “One filmmaker has always been ahead of his time.”

Additionally, a new one-sheet poster for the film has also been released and features more of the cast as well as some of the imagery from the movie. You can get a look at the new poster below.

Here’s the official synopsis for Megalopolis courtesy of Lionsgate:
“Megalopolis is a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.”

Megalopolis boasts a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Chloe Fineman, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman, DB Sweeney, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Bailey Ives, Grace Vanderwaal, and James Remar.

Megalopolis will be released in domestic theaters and IMAX on September 27.

Maria Sten was a hit with viewers of the Lee Child TV series Reacher. Now, Amazon is aiming to expand the show into a franchise.

Frances Neagley is about to venture off into her own cases with a solo series that will spin off from the hit Prime Video Lee Child series Reacher. Deadline is reporting that the popular character, who made her debut in season one, is getting her own show developed at Amazon in an effort to turn Reacher into a franchise. The show, tentatively titled Neagley will star Maria Sten as the titular character. The character of Neagley is a corporate security professional and former military colleague of Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) in the Army’s 110th Special Investigations Unit. It is also being reported that Ritchson is set to appear in the spinoff as a guest star, reprising his role as Reacher.

Reacher executive producer and showrunner Nick Santora partners with Nicholas Wootton on the development. The two have also previously worked together on the series Prison Break. Both are also set to executive produce as well as serve as dual showrunners on the series. Neagley will be produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Skydance Television, along with CBS Studios, which recently absorbed the original slate of co-producer Paramount TV Studios.

The character of Frances Neagley’s debut in the first season was a change in the source material as she doesn’t appear on the book that the season is based on. After the growth in her popularity, Reacher season 3 has been keen on promoting her return to the fans despite her not appearing in the source material for that season either.

The plot of Reacher Season 3 revolves around Reacher going undercover to rescue an informant held by a haunting foe from his past. For more details, check out Amazon’s official description for the Lee Child novel Persuader below:

Jack Reacher lives for the moment. Without a home. Without commitment. And with a burning desire to right wrongs – and rewrite his own agonizing past. DEA Susan Duffy is living for the future, knowing that she has made a terrible mistake by putting one of her own female agents into a death trap within a heavily guarded Maine mansion.

Staging a brilliant ruse, Reacher hurtles into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise. Trying to rescue an agent whose time is running out, Reacher enters a crime lord’s waterfront fortress. There, he will find a world of secrecy and violence – and confront some unfinished business from his own past.

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.

Conclave is a riveting thriller that should wind up one of the year’s big Oscar contenders.

PLOT: When the reigning pope unexpectedly dies, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) must assemble the College of Cardinals to elect a new pope during a Conclave that grows increasingly bitter and deceitful. 

REVIEW: Back at TIFF 2022, one of the festival’s biggest surprises was director Edward Berger’s powerhouse new take on the classic WWI story, All Quiet on the Western Front. It was a movie that no one expected much from, but it won Best Foreign Film at the Oscars and was a major Best Picture contender up to the eleventh hour. It marked Berger as a prominent director, and now he’s back at TIFF with another stunning drama, Conclave.

Based on the novel by Robert Harris (“Fatherland”, “The Fear Index”, etc.), what could have been a dry, talky drama becomes a riveting piece of work in Berger’s hands. While working from admittedly solid material, Berger expertly (and muscularly) directs one of the year’s best casts in a movie that – metaphorically – is more timely than ever in this election year. 

Indeed, with over 1.39 billion Catholics worldwide, a position as pope would make the man elected perhaps the most famous and influential person on earth. In Conclave, the Vatican is being torn apart by an incredibly bitter battle between traditional clergy and a more liberal wing, which included the deceased pope, whose lifelong mission was to modernize the church. Fiennes’s Cardinal Lawrence is shown to be in the midst of a crisis of faith, with him even seeking to leave his position, only to be denied by the pope, who knew he was the only Cardinal crafty (and selfless) enough to make sure the wrong man doesn’t get elected pontiff. 

The film centers around four central cardinals with a strong chance of being elected. On the more liberal side, there’s Stanley Tucci’s Bellini, who seems the most worthy candidate but lacks the killer instinct of John Lithgow’s Tremblay, a Canadian cardinal who, while vaguely liberal, isn’t above using dirty tricks to get his way. On the more conservative side is Lucian Msamati’s Adeyemi, who would be the first black pope and would be a good candidate were it not for the fact that he’s a raging homophobe. Finally, there’s Sergio Castellitto’s xenophobic Tedesco, who wants to undo all modernization within the church and take a step backward in time.

The liberal Lawrence is shown to be divided between his wish to see Bellini get elected and the fact that he emerges as a dark horse candidate at the eleventh hour. Fiennes delivers an incredible performance as the sharp-witted Lawrence, who has to become something of a detective amid his duties, with his performance bringing to mind Sean Connery in the classic In the Name of the Rose. Fiennes expertly depicts Lawrence’s humanity and increasing disillusionment with some of his fellow men of God.

Everyone is expertly cast, with Tucci striking as the liberal Bellini who isn’t without his Machiavellian side. While playing a character with repugnant views, Msamati as Adeyemi also has moments that allow him to come across as somewhat sympathetic, as opposed to Castellitto’s Tedesco, who is depicted as a nightmarish candidate. Then there’s John Lithgow, as the seemingly pious Tremblay who goes on to show his ruthless ambitious as the film bolts towards its fantastic final act. Carlos Diehz also makes a big impression as Benitez, the Cardinal of Kabul, whose arrival is met with suspicion but strikes an almost Christ-like figure. 

While undeniably talky, every line of dialogue is potent, and Conclave is anything but boring. Berger keeps the movie tense and does a remarkable job depicting how cut off the conclave has to be, even when it’s suggested that terrorists might attack Rome.

One of Berger’s critical collaborators on All Quiet on the Western Front, Volker Bertelmann, returns for Conclave, contributing another evocative score, albeit one done differently from his memorable electronic work that film. I fully expect this to wind up with a Best Original Score nomination. While Conclave probably doesn’t sound like an ultra commercial movie, I think it might surprise people when Focus puts it out in theatres, as it’s phenomenally entertaining and has a knockout ending that should generate a lot of talk. It’s one to watch for and seems like an Oscar contender.