2024 has been a strong year for independent cinema critically, but box office successes have been less common.Longlegsis perhaps the biggest box office surprise, with the low-budget Nicolas Cage film becoming a viral sensation and grossing nearly $127 million worldwide. Also in the horror genre,The Substancewas critically-acclaimedand, though it didn’t reachLonglegs’levels of commercial success, it was still a modest hit.
In addition to a few lucky films becoming box office success stories,a handful of indie titles now have a fair share of Oscar buzz surrounding themfor various categories. Thecritically-belovedAnorais perhaps the biggest movie in this regard, and it has long been eyed as a Best Picture favorite.The Brutalist, too, a sweeping historical epic, has been widely lauded, as hasNickel Boys. There’s another film, however, that’s been a crowd-pleaser and is gaining momentum heading towards 2025’s Oscars ceremony.
Conclave Becomes A VOD Hit
The Papal Thriller Beats Some Major Titles
After finding modest success in theaters and generating awards buzz,Conclavehas become a VOD success. Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) and based on Robert Harris' 2016 novel, the 2024 thriller stars Ralph Fiennes as Lawrence, a Cardinal at the Vatican who uncovers a shocking conspiracy following the death of the Pope.Conclavereviewshave been glowing from critics, and the film has been a soft success in theaters, grossing $34.7 million worldwide.
Is Conclave Based On A True Story?
Conclave isn’t based on a true story but draws heavily from real papal election processes, blending fact with fiction for dramatic effect.
IndieWirenow reveals thatConclave, following its release on digital platforms, has also been a major audience draw on VOD.The papal thriller ranks as the number one film on iTunes for Monday, December 2, beating movies likeHow the Grinch Stole Christmas,The Substance, andBeetlejuice Beetlejuice.Conclavehasn’t quite been able to reach the same level of success on the Fandango at Home VOD chart (which covers November 25 – December 1), coming in at eighth place. Check out the two VOD charts below:
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iTunes lists films by number of transactions, while Fandango at Home lists by revenue.
What Conclave’s VOD Success Means For The Movie
How Will The Film Perform At The Oscars?
As of writing,Conclaveenjoys a 93% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes. The audience score isn’t quite that high, but still very impressive at 85%.The film has been widely praised for offering up smart and surprising thrills in an unexpected setting, with Fiennes delivering a commanding performance. Made on an estimated budget of $20 million, the film is probably still a few million away from breaking even, but it did decent business in theaters given its subject matter and lack of major star power.
In addition to Fiennes,Conclavealso features strong performances from Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, and Lucian Msamati.
The fact thatConclaveis now finding success on home-viewing platforms bodes well for its Oscars chances. Though it seems unlikely to win Best Picture,it will be surprising ifConclaveisn’t nominated. Fiennes also seems likely to secure a nomination for Best Actor, in addition to Rossellini for Best Supporting Actress and Peter Straughan for Best Adapted Screenplay, the latter of whom is a strong bet to win.Conclave, then, is one to keep an eye on in the months ahead.
Conclave
Cast
Cardinal Lawrence leads the secretive papal election at the Vatican, where he uncovers a conspiracy and a secret that could destabilize the Church’s foundation as leaders gather from around the world.
