Netflix has debuted the first trailer for Fernando Meirelles’ “The Two Popes,” starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce.
Hopkins stars as Pope Benedict XVI and Pryce as current pontiff Pope Francis in an intimate story about one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the Catholic Church’s history.
Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (the future Pope Francis) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict. Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective 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.
The film was written by Anthony McCarten and produced by Tracey Seaward, both known for their previous Oscar-nominated success with true-life dramas. McCarten wrote both “Darkest Hour” and “The Theory of Everything.” Seaward produced Stephen Frears films “The Queen” and “Philomena.”
“The Two Popes” receives its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. It has also been announced to play in the programs of both the Telluride Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival.
On Tuesday, Netflix announced that “The Two Popes” would have a limited theatrical release in the U.S. from Nov. 27, and in the U.K. two days later, before launching on the streaming service Dec. 20.