The New Pope is a satirical drama television series created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino for Sky Atlantic, HBO and Canal+. It is a continuation of the 2016 series The Young Pope, originally announced as its second season. The nine-episode series stars Jude Law, reprising his role as the fictional Pope Pius XIII, and John Malkovich as the fictional Pope John Paul III, the titular new pope. It was co-produced by European production companies The Apartment Pictures, Wildside, Haut et Court TV and Mediapro.
The series premiered on 10 January 2020 on Sky Atlantic in Italy.
The New Pope opens with Pope Pius XIII still in a coma, revered as a living saint by a growing cult of followers. Amid concerns that this reverence could spark dangerous idolatry, Cardinal Secretary of State Voiello insists on a conclave to elect a new Pope, and schemes to elect a malleable, Franciscan-inspired candidate: Cardinal Viglietti, who becomes Pope Francis II. However, Francis II quickly asserts himself with sweeping, radical reformsâÂÂredistributing church wealth and welcoming refugeesâÂÂwhich alarm the conservative cardinals. His sudden death, likely an assassination orchestrated by the scheming Bauer, leaves the church in turmoil. Meanwhile, the cardinals seek a safer, centrist replacement: Sir John Brannox, an aristocratic theologian famed for his work The Middle Way. As they court him at his English estate, BrannoxâÂÂs psychological fragility and deep guilt over his twin brotherâÂÂs death begin to emerge, yet he ultimately agrees to take the papacy as John Paul III.
As John Paul III assumes his role, he is quickly entangled in the Vatican's political games. His attempts to modernize the ChurchâÂÂincluding proposals for marriage equality within the clergyâÂÂare both applauded and manipulated by factions such as Cardinal Spalletta, who uses blackmail to ascend to power. Voiello, sensing danger, resigns after strategically consolidating his influence one last time. The undercurrents of corruption run deep: Sofia uncovers a sex scandal implicating her husband and other senior officials, and Esther descends into sex work to survive, even striking an unsettling arrangement with a wealthy family. Meanwhile, the Pope's inner world begins to unravel; haunted by his past drug addiction and plagiarized legacy, he teeters between visionary ideals and personal collapse. As terror threats loom and the Church's political maneuvering intensifies, Pius XIII's mythic presence lingersâÂÂsoon to reemerge.
Pius XIII miraculously awakens, recovering in secret while John Paul III suffers a personal and spiritual breakdown triggered by a terror attack. Tensions rise as Esther's faction of idolaters splinters, some believing Pius to be dead. The Church faces increasing pressure from both internal blackmailers and external threats, leading to a brutal power reckoning. Voiello returns as Secretary of State, orchestrating the fall of corrupt allies and restoring order with ruthless efficiency. The climax centers on a school hostage crisis, initially blamed on Islamic extremists, but later revealed to be the work of Pius XIII's fanatical devoteesâÂÂincluding Esther herself. After resolving the crisis and delivering a final sermon praising moderation, Pius XIII dies in front of the faithful. His legacy, forged in contradiction and holiness, gives way to Voiello's own papacy, as various characters find closure: Sister Caterina reunites with Faisal, Esther's child is adopted, and the retired John Paul III finally reconciles with his family. The series closes as faith, power, and humanity converge in bittersweet resolution.
The New Pope production began in Italy in late 2018. Filming took place inside St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City in November 2018. Some scenes were shot in Milan in January and February 2019. The production crew also filmed in Venice in January and April 2019. Most of the filming took place at CinecittÃÂ, in Rome. The crew returned to Rome to film at the St. Peter's Square in March 2019. Additional scenes were shot in Abruzzo and on the river Piave. The opening sequence of the series with dancing nuns was filmed inside San Giorgio Monastery in Venice.
The series had its world premiere on 1 September 2019 at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, where episodes 2 and 7 were screened out of competition. It debuted on television on 10 January 2020 on Sky Atlantic in Italy, on 12 January on Sky Atlantic in the UK and Ireland and on 13 January on HBO and Canal+.
The official teaser for the series was released on 28 August 2019. The second teaser trailer premiered on 3 November 2019. The official full trailer was released on 10 December 2019.
The series received positive response from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 90% based on 49 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though its predecessor's shadow looms large, devout fans will still find much to like in The New Pope's exploration of power dynamics and sumptuous strangeness." On Metacritic it has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 12 critics, signifying "generally favorable reviews".