How Realistic Conclave Movie Is, Explained

Conclave was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning one for Best Adapted Screenplay. But after its Oscar success, the film has found an unlikely second life in the halls of the Vatican.

So the question remains: is Conclave realistic? And to answer it, we have to look back at the movie itself.

Conclave (2024): Behind the Sacred Doors

Conclave follows Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) throughout the tricky process of papal conclave. The film exposes it as a high-stakes process in which centuries-old tradition collides with modern politics and where anything could change the course of religious history.

Adapted from the book by Robert Harris, the film takes a fresh look at an institution that has fascinated believers and skeptics alike for many generations.

What Conclave Got Right & What It Got Wrong?

The voting process shown in the movie is very accurate as well as the black smoke for when the cardinals didn't agree on the new pope and the white smoke for when they did.

The Sistine Chapel scenes in the movie are also pretty spot-on. Before any voting happens, they sweep the place for bugs (listening devices) just like they do in real life.

But the movie took some creative liberty with Cardinal Lawrence. He's doing two jobs that are actually separate in real life. In the movie, he's kind of playing both the camerlengo (the person who runs things after a pope dies) and the dean of the College of Cardinals. But these are two different people with two different roles.

Do Real Cardinals Know About the Conclave Movie in 2025?

According to Politico, some of the 133 cardinals preparing for the real conclave have been watching the film to better understand their roles. One of clerics revealed to Politico:

“Some have watched it in the cinema.”

So the answer to the question would be yes, the movie is highly realistic as actual cardinals are watching Ralph Fiennes' Conclave to prepare themselves for the procedure.

What Does the Audience Think About the Movie Conclave?

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Conclave has 93% from critics and 86% from the audience.
• On IMDb, Conclave is rated 7.4/10.

“Almost every shot was literally a painting. Loved how Berger was able to perfectly blend the visual with audio once again like in All Quiet,” another fan, sheckmess on Redditor said.

“[It was] not what I expected. I thought Carlos Diehtz was amazing. He reminded me a lot of the late great Jason Miller who played Father Karras in the Exorcist. And I can’t believe Isabella Rossellini didn’t win the Oscar. At 73 she is still a beauty,” Redditor NMtrollhunter shared.

Where Can I Watch Conclave Right Now?

Conclave is available right now on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango At Home, Microsoft Store, Amazon Video and Apple TV.