The world has taken a moment to reflect on the passing of Pope Francis, leading to an unexpected surge in interest in films about papal traditions and elections.

Streaming analytics from Luminate reveal that viewership for the Oscar-winning film "Conclave," which delves into the intricate process of electing a new pope, skyrocketed after news of the pope’s death. Similarly, Netflix’s 2019 film "The Two Popes" also experienced a notable increase in audience.

Prior to Amazon Prime Video making "Conclave" free for its subscribers, the movie’s streaming minutes soared from just 966,000 to 6.9 million on Monday alone. The following day saw an even bigger jump, reaching 18.3 million minutes watched.

This astonishing growth translates to over a 3,200% rise in weekly viewership, according to Luminate, indicating the profound impact of Pope Francis' passing and Amazon’s promotion.

Released in October 2024 and based on Robert Harris’s bestselling novel, "Conclave" illustrates a tense and dramatized papal election following a pope's death, featuring performances by Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow. The film artfully captures the secrets and rivalries that come to light during this intense competition.

Experts have acknowledged the accuracy of the movie’s portrayal of the papal election rituals, where cardinals publicly count votes using paper ballots and then burn them—a process described by history professor Piotr H. Kosicki as "more or less correct." However, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, who was part of the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, pointed out that the film does not fully capture the spiritual depth of the conclave experience.

In addition to "Conclave," "The Two Popes" saw viewership numbers surge by an impressive 417%, climbing from 290,000 minutes watched on Sunday to 1.5 million on Monday. This trend illustrates how deeply the news of Pope Francis’ death has resonated with audiences, prompting a rush to explore films that echo the themes of his papacy.