The Young Pope is a new series coming to HBO — in collaboration with international partners Sky and Canal+ — that will star Jude Law as an American named Lenny Belardo who (a) has just taken the title Pope Pius XIII, and (b) can be seen above in the first look teaser image HBO recently released. The project also co-stars Diane Keaton, and it is being helmed by 2014 Best Foreign Film Oscar winner Paolo Sorrentino, and Deadline described it thusly…
The plot centers on the controversial story of the beginning of Pius’ Pontificate. A complex and conflicted character, he is a man of great power who’s stubbornly resistant to the Vatican courtiers, unconcerned with the implications on his authority.
… with Sorrentino chiming in at EW with this.
The inner struggle between the huge responsibility of the Head of the Catholic Church and the miseries of the simple man that fate (or the Holy Spirit) chose as Pontiff. Finally, how to handle and manipulate power in a state whose dogma and moral imperative is the renunciation of power and selfless love towards one’s neighbor.”
Also, the whole entire thing — while very pretty and star-studded and from an excellent pedigree — is a pile of flaming malarkey, because if you’re going to name a show The Young Pope — which was your choice — it had better be about a goddamn toddler who got elected in a ballot snafu and immediately put on the giant hat and issued a papal declaration that cookies are to be served at Communion in place of the wafers. For the love of God. Jude Law is 42 years old. This just won’t do.
(Via Deadline)
