With great power comes great drama. Generally speaking, it’s always been the corridors of political power (“House Of Cards,” “The West Wing,” etc.) that have been fertile ground for storytellers looking to explore the collision of ambition, humanity and ruthlessness, but there hasn’t been a show, at least in recent memory, that does the same for religion. But all that is about to change with “Youth” and “The Great Beauty” director Paolo Sorrentino‘s miniseries “The Young Pope.”
Starring Jude Law, Diane Keaton, Silvio Orlando, Scott Shepherd, Cécile de France, Javier Cámara, Ludivine Sagnier, Toni Bertorelli and James Cromwell, the show will track the crisis of faith of Pope Pius XIII. Here’s the official synopsis:
The Young Pope tells the controversial story of the beginning of PIUS XIII’s Pontificate, born Lenny Belardo (Jude Law). A complex and conflicted character, so conservative in his choices as to border on obscurantism, yet full of compassion towards the weak and poor. He is a man of great power who is stubbornly resistant to the Vatican courtiers, unconcerned with the implications to his authority. During the series, Belardo will face losing those closest to him and the constant fear of being abandoned, even by his God. A man who is however not afraid of undertaking the millennial mission of defending that same God and the world representing Him.
“The Young Pope” will start airing on Sky in the U.K. in October, and will debut in the U.S. on HBO though no date has yet been announced. Let’s hope we’re not waiting too long because this looks pretty great.
