Conclave Producer Michael Jackman on the Art of Invisible Compromise

Michael Jackman, co-producer of the Best Picture-nominated Conclave, says compromise is part of every film. You just don’t want the audience to see it.

“Solving problems is what I love to do,” he tells MovieMaker. “My niche is fitting between the creative vision of a director and balancing that with the time and money we have to spend. 

“You want to find those solutions without compromise, but there’s always compromise — we just want them to be invisible. You want to do that while maintaining the highest level of creative integrity. That’s the hard part. It’s also the fun part." 

The producer’s work spans over 35 years and includes co-producing Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar-winning Arrival and working as an executive vice president at FilmNation Entertainment. Other films in his filmography include Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York and Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 

Conclave fictionalizes one of the world’s most secretive rituals, the election of a new Pope. Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front) and based on Robert Harris’ acclaimed novel, the film combines centuries-old tradition with a modern thriller. At its center is Cardinal Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, whose sacred duty to oversee the conclave is complicated by a crisis of faith and a trail of secrets left by the late Pope.

The movie inspired endless memes and Pope Crave, an account on X that reports funny fake stories about the movie’s cardinals. Pope Crave even created a Charity Zine dedicated to the film. 

We spoke with Michael Jackman about solving problems, Conclave’s ability to draw a wide range of viewers, and all of the memes.

Joshua Encinias: Conclave is Bruno Novelli’s only acting credit on IMDb. Tell me about casting him to play the pope’s corpse.

Michael Jackman: That’s right, and most of our cardinals are first-time actors too. We needed men in their 60s to 80s and even older for Bruno’s character. Our casting people found guys who thought it would be fun to participate, even though this was all new to them. 

Bruno was so funny. Every day he’d come in and ask someone from the costume department, “Do I have a line today?” And she’d reply, “No, Bruno—you’re the dead pope.” He’d just laugh and go about his day. It was sweet. Normally we wouldn’t credit someone without lines, but he’s such an integral part of the story. His face matters so much in key moments, like Ralph’s dream sequence. 

Conclave Producer Michael Jacksman on the Drama's Cross-Generational Allure

Joshua Encinias: The film really seems to resonate across generations too.  

Michael Jackman: I love how it’s appealing to people. Half our U.S. audience was over 55, while the other half was 18 to 55. We got older audiences back into theaters who had been written off while also appealing to younger viewers who love thrillers, and yes, memes of it all definitely helped. Sergio Castellitto vaping as Tedesco even became its own meme-worthy moment.

Joshua Encinias: What was your hardest obstacle on Conclave and how did you overcome it?

Michael Jackman: This was an independent film with a limited amount of money. We had international pre-sales, equity funding, and tax credits from Italy. But we had a big appetite. It doesn’t look like an independent movie on a budget. Some of those things were challenging. 

We built a Sistine Chapel replica, which took 14 weeks of construction. We needed 104 cardinals as extras — that’s thousands of days of labor over the shoot. It’s less expensive in Italy than it is in the U.S., but it’s still labor every day. We filmed over 42 days on a modest budget. …

We were supposed to film in one location for the umbrella scene, but storms ruined it just days before filming started. They didn’t know when we could come shoot there, so we weren’t going to wait. We had to pivot quickly and find an alternative spot. We used a courtyard with a fountain and a flood of cardinals pouring in. It ended up being an even more visually beautiful moment than our original plan.

Joshua Encinias: I know The Young Pope built Vatican City sets and left them to be rented by other productions. Did you use them for Conclave?

Michael Jackman: We used some of their stuff. There were things that had been in storage for many years. Some of it was pretty dog-eared, and we restored some flats. We also built our own Sistine Chapel replica at full scale so actors could feel immersed in the space without needing to fake their reactions. They were looking at The Last Judgment by Michelangelo all the time to add to the psychology of their characters. 

Joshua Encinias: How did your religious advisors, theology professor Francesco Bonomo and Father Elio Lops, inform your decisions? 

Michael Jackman: They helped with everything, from how cardinals hold their slip while casting votes to how they interact with nuns or what they wear when not fully dressed for ceremonies. 

We asked what happens in the Room of Tears after the Pope is elected. They were like, “Nobody knows, so do what you want.” They advised us on what is known, and then we took creative liberty. I thought we would have them on set for 15 days for religious advice, but they were involved for all of prep and the entire shoot. 

[Spoiler Alert: The following two questions hint at the ending of Conclave. Please skip them if you haven’t seen Conclave yet and plan to.]

Joshua Encinias: Why is the big reveal about Cardinal Benítez at the end of the story instead of earlier? I know it’s also this way in the book.

Michael Jackman: You get to know Benítez a little more in the book through the wise comments he makes throughout. You know he’s there for a reason when he shows up in the movie. We didn’t want to lead you too much…  

We knew some people would anticipate the [end]. … Part of the movie’s fun is we want you to get ahead of it, relax, think that’s the twist, and let their guard down. Then you have a twist that no one sees coming because everyone thought they already figured it out. We never wanted anyone to see it coming. 

Joshua Encinias: I’ve seen a good amount of angry analysis of the movie by Catholic critics, but have you read any positive Catholic analysis?

Michael Jackman: Absolutely. I think my favorite comment one Catholic viewer told me is they loved it when Cardinal Benítez says, “I am what God made me.” To them, that sentiment aligned with their faith — that God doesn’t make mistakes — and they appreciated how Benítez didn’t alter himself because he thought it would be a sin to change God’s handiwork. 

Conclave is now in theaters and available on video on demand from Focus Features.

Main image: Ralph Fiennes in Conclave. Focus Features.