Two Popes

Written by the award-winning screenwriter of The Theory of Everything , The Two Popes is the powerful narrative that inspired the Netflix original film of the same name, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce and directed by Brazilian Fernando Meirelles.

In February 2013, Pope Benedict XVI made a shocking announcement: he would resign as pontiff. He thus became the first pope to resign from his post in over seven hundred years.

Upon hearing the news, the College of Cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel to choose Benedict's successor. The final choice was an unlikely one: Francis, the first non-European pope in 1,200 years. A former tango nightclub bouncer, passionate about soccer, and a simple man.

In The Two Popes , writer and screenwriter Anthony McCarten takes a thorough look at the Catholic Church and its two most recent leaders. He explores all the theories surrounding Pope Benedict XVI's shocking resignation and how Pope Francis handled his unexpected rise to power.

By resigning, Benedict, a defender of conservatism and seen as the most traditional figure in the Church, shocked not only members of the Church but also the press and the faithful. Why did Benedict, having attained the highest office within the Catholic Church, abdicate? Especially knowing that his successor could be someone whose views drastically opposed his own.

How did Francis, a simple man who used to take the bus to work in Buenos Aires, adapt to the new reality of guiding billions of faithful?

The Two Popes explores Benedict and Francis' childhood in war-torn Germany and Argentina, as well as the intrigues and occasional comedies of Vatican life. Intriguing and engaging, The Two Popes delves deeply into the lives of these two figures so central to world history.