Conclave sees massive surge in viewership following Pope Francis’ death, jumps 283% to nearly 7 million minutes

According to a report by Variety, the data from Luminate, a company that monitors streaming viewership, Conclave experienced a 283% jump in viewing minutes, the day after the Pope’s passing. On Sunday (April 20), the film had generated roughly 1.8 million minutes of watch time. That figure surged to 6.9 million minutes by the next day as global audiences responded to the news.

The film, directed by Edward Berger, stars Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci and was a strong contender during the latest awards season. It earned several major nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor at the Oscars, and received critical acclaim for its performances and direction.

Pope Francis, who died early Monday morning at age 88 due to complications following a stroke, had long been a prominent spiritual figure on the global stage. His passing came just one day after Easter Sunday, amplifying the emotional response from both the religious and secular communities.

In addition to Conclave, other films that explore similar themes also saw renewed interest. Netflix’s 2019 biographical drama The Two Popes experienced a sharp increase in viewership, climbing 417% from Sunday to Monday. The film saw 290,000 minutes watched on Sunday, which jumped to 1.5 million minutes the next day.

In the hours following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death, numerous Hollywood figures paid tribute to him on social media, sharing personal reflections and expressing admiration for his leadership, compassion, and global influence.