Ralph Fiennes must oversee a holy ascension to the highest chair in Edward Berger’s intense Conclave trailer

Last Updated on October 10, 2024

Ralph Fiennes’ Cardinal Lawrence is about to discover what unholy trouble looks like as he attempts to decide who will be the next Pope in Edward Berger‘s Conclave trailer. Acting as the person who judges the intensity of one’s love for the Lord and who is the best representative of the highest church is enough to make even the most devoted tremble with uncertainty. Imagine being the person who appoints the next Pope after the sudden passing of a world-famous and beloved figure. No, thank you. What if we add a conspiracy to the mix? Clutch your prayer beads tightly, folks; it will be a vicious contest.

Here’s the official synopsis for Conclave courtesy of Focus Features:

From director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. 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.

Edward Berger directs Conclave from a script by Peter Straughan, based on the book by Robert Harris. Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Brían F. O’Byrne, Carlos Diehz, Merab Ninidze, and Thomas Loibl lead the cast, with Sergio Castellitto and Isabella Rossellini also starring.

Focus Features’ Conclave trailer brings audiences close to the action of choosing the next Pope. What? It’s a grueling process, with many candidates vying for the highest chair. When Cardinal Lawrence makes a startling discovery, the decision heaped upon him turns dangerous, maybe deadly. With a collective of eager men watching Cardinal Lawrence like a hawk, anxious to influence his decision, cloud his mind with lies, and take their place atop one of the world’s most authoritative religious outfits, it could be Cardinal Lawrence who is the next to find a funeral veil draped across his lifeless body.

Are you intrigued by Edward Berger’s Conclave trailer? Let us know in the comments section below. Conclave will premiere in select theaters on November 1 and expands nationwide on November 8.