Conclave by Robert Harris

Welcome to Offscript, the podcast where literature meets cinema. Each week, hosts Bri & Alli compare books to their movie adaptations — exploring what worked, what didn’t, and whether the book really was better than the movie. From timeless classics to today’s bestsellers, we break down characters, themes, and the creative choices that shape stories on page and screen. 

 

🎬 This Week on Offscript: Conclave 

This week, Bri & Alli dive into Conclave, comparing Robert Harris’s tense, page-turning political thriller with Edward Berger’s stylish, atmosphere-drenched film adaptation. Set behind the closed doors of the Vatican following the sudden death of the Pope, the story follows Cardinal Lawrence as he navigates a high-stakes, faction-ridden papal election fraught with ambition, secret agendas, and shocking revelations. 

 

Synopsis: 

After the sudden death of the Pope, the College of Cardinals gathers in strict secrecy to 

elect a new leader of the Catholic Church, but the process quickly becomes entangled in 

political maneuvering, hidden scandals, and personal ambitions. As tensions rise within 

the locked Vatican conclave, one cardinal tasked with overseeing the election uncovers 

secrets that could shake the foundations of the Church itself. What begins as a sacred 

vote for unity becomes a high-stakes battle over truth, power, and faith. 

  

Author: Robert Harris 

Director: Edward Berger 

Screenplay Writer: Peter Straughan 

 

📚🎬 Coming Up Next on Offscript: A Series of Unfortunate Events — The Miserable Mill 

Next week, Bri & Alli head to the gloomy town of Paleville to examine Lemony Snicket’s dark, delightfully absurd The Miserable Mill and see how the Baudelaire orphans' fourth misadventure translates from page to screen. 

They’ll follow Violet, Klaus, and Sunny as they are forced into hard labor at the Lucky Smells Lumbermill, working for a boss who pays in coupons and dodging the hypnotic schemes of Count Olaf disguised as Dr. Georgina Orwell's receptionist, Shirley. Bri & Alli will dissect how the story’s signature gothic humor and wordplay evolve across adaptations—comparing the quick-paced 2004 movie sequence to the expanded, multi-episode narrative in the Netflix series. From the surreal absurdity of hypnotic control and dangerous lumberyard machinery to the key book-to-screen changes that shape the Baudelaires' ongoing mystery, they’ll break down which version captures the true spirit of Snicket’s bleakly funny world. 

 

✨ Subscribe & Listen 

 

Subscribe to Offscript: The Book vs. Movie Podcast on your favorite platform — Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube — for weekly deep dives into your favorite books-to-movies adaptations. 

Whether you’re a film lover, avid reader, or both, Offscript is your go-to podcast for thoughtful discussions where literature meets film. 

 

Check out our website here! Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!  

Props to Ashen for our adorable artwork, Adam Daniel for our awesome theme song, and Brianna Daniel, LLC for producing our podcast!  

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/offscript/exclusive-content