[4][5] Predominantly set in Vatican City in the aftermath of the Vatican leaks scandal, the film follows Pope Benedict XVI, played by Anthony Hopkins, as he attempts to convince Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, played by Jonathan Pryce, to reconsider his decision to resign as an archbishop as he confides his own intentions to abdicate the papacy.

Seven years later, the Catholic Church is embroiled in the Vatican leaks scandal, and Benedict's tenure has been tainted by public accusations regarding his role in the coverup.

The two watch Benedict's favorite TV show, Inspector Rex, which further delays their discussion about Bergoglio's resignation.

Benedict rejects Bergoglio's resignation, saying the world would perceive it as a vote of no confidence in his leadership and weaken the Catholic Church.

Following the "Dirty War", Bergoglio was removed as head of the Argentine Society of Jesus and exiled to serve as an ordinary parish priest to the poor for the next ten years.

Bergoglio is elected as his successor in the 2013 papal conclave and becomes Pope Francis; in his first Urbi et Orbi, he prays for Benedict, who watches the speech on television from Castel Gandolfo.

[14] Much of the coverage of the film in the news media has centered on the reconstructed Sistine Chapel, built in a studio during an eight-week period.

[2] According to Variety, The Two Popes was "an unexpected hit" at its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, receiving praise for its humor and the two lead actors' performances.

The site's critics consensus reads, "Led by outstanding performances from its well-matched leads, The Two Popes draws absorbing drama from a pivotal moment in modern organized religion.

"[24] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

[25] Although much of the content is based on historic events, including speeches and philosophical debates that were published, most other aspects were fictionalized: "What you always do is you speculate", McCarten said in an interview with TheWrap.

In April 2019, Pope Benedict released a 6,000-word letter blaming the clergy sex abuse scandal on factors including the "dangerously liberal theological ideas" within the Church.

[37] In one scene, Pope Benedict confesses to Bergoglio (Francis) and mentions Marcial Maciel before the audio fades out.

J. Peter Nixon, in the publication U.S. Catholic, decried "the film's implication that it was Benedict who allowed Father Marcial Maciel Degollado to remain leader of the Legionaries of Christ despite mounting evidence that he was a sexual predator.

He finally did so in 2006, when, as Pope, he found the courage to remove Maciel from the priesthood and send him to Mexico to supposedly focus on a 'discreet life of penance and prayer'.

"[40] Bishop Robert Barron criticized the film for its characterization of Benedict in an article on the Word on Fire website titled "The One Pope".