Pope Francis dies: Here are 5 films about choosing a new pope

Hollywood is no stranger to exploring the selection of a new pope.

After the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday and nine days of mourning, the College of Cardinals will gather in conclave to select a new pontiff.

Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)

Anthony Quinn starred in this Cold War-inspired drama, a decade before John Paul II became the first pope from behind the Iron Curtain. The film also starred Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud.

Quinn plays Kiril Lakota, a Ukrainian archbishop who had been imprisoned for decades in a Siberian labor camp by the Soviet Union before being released.

He travels to Rome and becomes part of the conclave to replace the late pope -- and then, surprisingly, is elected pontiff.

Pope Joan (1972)

Liv Ullman starred in the title role of this film, based on the legend that a woman sat on the papal throne during the early Middle Ages.

First mentions of a Pope Joan date to the 1200s. Once believed as fact, historians now believe that her existence was a rumor meant to mock the church.

Still, scriptwriters and authors have generated several works through the years based on Joan.

Following legends, Ullman is exposed when the cardinals discover that she is pregnant. The movie co-starred Olivia de Havilland as Mother Superior and Maximilian Schell as an amorous monk.

The Pope Must Die (1991)

Later changed to “The Pope Must Diet,” this comedy stars Robbie Coltrane, who later rose to fame as Hagrid in the “Harry Potter” films.

Coltrane plays a fun-loving parish priest who does not take his vow of celibacy seriously and loves Guns ‘n’ Roses. He is elected to the papacy after a ballot error during conclave.

Coltrane discovers that organized crime has infiltrated the Vatican and is marked for death. Critics of the film objected to the title over concerns that it advocated violence, so the film’s name was changed.

“There’s a lot of thickos who will take it in the wrong way,” Coltrane said in an interview after the film was released. “But anyone who sees it as an attack on Catholicism is being paranoid and perhaps feeling a bit guilty about something.”

Habemus Papam (2011)

The film’s name comes from the Latin phrase, “We have a pope,” which is announced after the new pope is about to be introduced on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

In this comedy, Michael Piccoli plays a cardinal who is elected pope but has an emotional breakdown just before stepping onto the balcony to address the throngs awaiting below.

As the new pope, Piccoli is torn by doubts and overwhelmed by his new responsibilities. The film centers on the relationship between the new pontiff and his therapist.

The Two Popes (2019)

Pope Benedict XVI stunned Catholics in 2013 when he became the first pope to resign since Pope Gregory XII stepped down in 1415.

This film, starring Anthony Hopkins as Benedict and Jonathan Pryce as his successor (the late Pope Francis), looked at the personal conversations the two men may have shared through the years.

Screenwriter Anthony McCarten drew inspiration from several speeches and statements the two clerics had made over the years and wrote a story in which they debate their philosophies and the future of the church.