According to Variety, HBO has ordered new episodes of acclaimed limited series “The Young Pope,” and Paolo Sorrentino is set to develop the show. The follow-up titled "The New Pope" will set in the modern Vatican, but there’s no confirmation about whether Jude Law will reprise his role as Pope Pius XIII.
Paolo Sorrentino took to Twitter this morning to reveal that casting will begin next month, and production is starting in Italy by the end of 2017. Like “The Young Pope,” “The New Pope” is co-produced by Sky and HBO, with Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello serving as screenplay writers.
Paolo Sorrentino’s background as a director
Born in May 1970, Paolo Sorrentino is a famous American director and screenplay writer. He began his career as a filmmaker in 1998, and released the award-winning “The Dust of Naples.” In 2004, he achieved international recognition for his works in “L'amore non ha confine,” “La notte lunga,” “One Man Up,” “The Consequences of Love,” and “The Family Friend.”
Sorrentino began his acting career in a supporting role in Nanni Moretti's film “The Caiman,” which premiered at the 2006 London Film Festival. His other notable works include “Il Divo,” “Steal You Away,” “This Must Be the Place,” “The Great Beauty,” and “Youth.”
Collaborators
Sorrentino has worked with dozens of actors in his career, including Francesca Cima, Nicola Giuliano, Toni Servillo, Luca Bigazzi, Giogiò Franchini, Cristiano Travaglioli, and Lino Fiorito.
For “The Young Pope,” he joined hands with Diane Keaton and Jude Law.
This television series premiered on September 3, 2016, on HBO, and was screened for a prize at the Venice Film Festival. The cast includes Silvio Orlando as Cardinal, Javier Cámara as Monsignor, Scott Shepherd as Cardinal, Cécile France as Sofia, Ludivine Sagnier as Esther, Toni Bertorelli as Caltanissetta, James Cromwell as Michael, Guy Boyd as Archbishop, Rayna Tharani as Maribeth, Tony Plana as Carlos, Ignazio Oliva as Valente, Marcello Romolo as Tommaso, and Daniel Vivian as Domen.
Production began in 2013 when Paolo Sorrentino hinted at the main characters of “The Young Pope.” He was interested in developing a series with the Spanish company Mediapro and the French firm Haut et Court TV. The show has received critical acclaim all over the world. Jude’s performance garnered praise by The Daily Telegraph reviewer, Jasper Rees. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show received an approval rating of 67% based on 89 critics. On U.S. review aggregator Metacritic, its rating is 59 out of 100 based on 75 reviews.
