Two popes enter – one pope leaves. It’s the ultimate papal smackdown! The Two Popes dramatizes the story of the short reign of Pope Benedict and his successor Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, aka Pope Francis (dudes change their name when they become the pope; it’s a whole thing). Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce star as the two men of faith. Watch The Two Popes trailer below.

The Two Popes Trailer

The other day we got the trailer for The New Pope. Now here’s one for The Two Popes. It’s an exciting time for pope fans everywhere! City of God filmmaker Fernando Meirelles helms this Netflix drama and potential awards season staple. Here’s the synopsis:

Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront elements from their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world.

In case you’re not well-versed on the ins and outs of the papacy, Benedict retired from the gig in 2013 – and it was kind of a big deal. Popes usually stay in power until their death, but Benedict became the first pope to resign since 1415. Benedict’s resignation was initially attributed to his advanced age and poor health. However, some looked to the “VatiLeaks” scandal, in which internal leaked documents revealed potential corruption within the Vatican.

As someone who grew up within the Catholic religion (those days are long gone, folks), I have to admit I’m fascinated by all of this, and I’m curious to see how the film turns out. It helps that Hopkins and Pryce are both excellent actors, and will probably bring their A-games to this material.

The Two Popes blesses you in select theaters on November 27 and on Netflix December 20.

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