Lenny Belardo is not your typical pontiff. Anointed as the first American Pope in the history of the Catholic church, Jude Law’s chain-smoking icon has ascended to become the head of the Vatican based on an effective, but ultimately deceitful media strategy that would make even Frank Underwood blush.
Welcome to The Young Pope, HBO’s 10-part series that chronicles the rise and rise of Lenny Belardo, who works to establish a papacy unlike anything the church has ever seen. Created by Italian writer-director Paolo Sorrentino, the religious drama has been airing in select territories across Europe since late last month, and will soon make its way across the pond in time for January 15. Also starring Diane Keaton, Silvio Orlando, Scott Shepherd, Cécile de France, Javier Cámara, Ludivine Sagnier, Toni Bertorelli and James Cromwell, as a character portrait, The Young Pope looks set to extract a magnetic, slightly deranged performance from Jude Law. The reign of Pope Pius XIII is set to begin, and we can hardly wait.
Step aside, Frank Underwood; there’s a new power-mongering menace in town. Look for The Young Pope to grace HBO on January 15, 2017.
The Young Pope tells the story of Lenny Belardo, alias Pius XIII, the first American Pope. Young and charming, his election seems to be the result of a simple yet effective media strategy on the part of the College of Cardinals. But appearances can be deceptive. Above all, in the place and among the people who have chosen the great mystery of God as the compass guiding their existence. That place is the Vatican and those people are the leaders of the Church. And Pius XIII proves to be the most mysterious and contradictory of them all. Shrewd and naïve, ironical and pedantic, primeval and cutting-edge, doubting and resolute, melancholy and ruthless, Pius XIII tries to cross the endless river of human solitude to find a God he can give to mankind. And to himself.
