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When the political thriller Conclave first came out, you could easily compare it to HBO’s Succession in the thirst for power over electing a high-ranking position. However, there’s another movie that the 2025 Golden Globe-winning flick is hilariously similar to and you’d never guess it off hand. Conclave is being referred to as “the religious version of Mean Girls” and the film’s actors John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci have A+ reactions to that.
To say that one of the best movies of 2024 is about picking a new pope would be an understatement. At the beginning of Conclave when the Pope dies of a heart attack, the heat is on to elect a new pope. But the papal conclave isn’t a thoroughly peaceful election as political schemes and backstabbing occur to ensure an elected pope’s win.
If you can think of one of the best movies of the 2000s that was all about sneaky fighting to secure a top spot in the social hierarchy, what would you pick? Well, it’s been decided that Conclave is the “religious version of Mean Girls.” Actor John Lithgow, who plays the Canadian candidate Joseph Tremblay, gives his A+ reaction in a Variety video about the hilarious comparison:
That’s what everybody is saying, and I think it’s fairly accurate. You know, out comes all the greed and envy and jealousy…and when they turn on one of their own well, that’s how I figure.
John Lithgow makes a valid point. Conclave shows the Cardinals committing unethical tactics to boot out a candidate such as exposing scandals and taking bribes. But as the 3rd Rock From the Sun actor said, the Cardinals they portray are “complicated men” with their own cliques.
Mean Girls may differ in Conclave being a comedy movie to watch when you need a pick-me-up. However, there are plenty of underhanded things that happen in the Tina Fey flick like boyfriend stealing, manipulation, and giving the Queen Bee a chocolate bar to make her gain weight. While originally transfer student Cady Heron takes down Regina George for stealing her crush away from her, her motives change when she realizes she wants to be the new Plastics leader. And like the Cardinals had their own set of rules of what makes the ideal pope, The Plastics had their own rules of actions and appearances for the ideal Plastic member. You can watch John Lithgow’s Variety interview below:
John Lithgow reacts to #Conclave being called “the religious version of ‘Mean Girls.'” https://t.co/AfdY6h3100 pic.twitter.com/QE4H7m8vy0January 4, 2025
It looks like John Lithgow isn’t the only Conclave actor who agrees with the Mean Girls comparisons. Stanley Tucci, who played American-elect Aldo Bellini, had his own alternate title to the Critics Choice nominated flick during his video interview with Variety:
It’s Mean Men. Mean Old Men.
Mean Old Men it is! I would definitely say that’s accurate as the characters in Conclave really take it too far during the election. By undermining their opponents through manipulation and scandal exposure, not only is their eligibility for candidacy questioned but so is their reputation at the College of Cardinals. The behavior of these holy men completely relates to the cutthroat scheming found in Mean Girls where the quest for power and control takes over compared to the higher purpose of being a leader you can look up to. Take a look at Stanley Tucci’s funny comments to Variety on the two films’ comparisons below:
Stanley Tucci reacts to #Conclave being called the religious version of “Mean Girls.” https://t.co/AfdY6h3100 pic.twitter.com/MzFFLsLYSoJanuary 4, 2025
Conclave actors John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci’s agreement of their movie being “the religious version of Mean Girls” is spot-on considering both films are about taking each other down to reach the top position. With the two movies showing how reputation, alliances, and scandal are tools used to achieve power, it’s no wonder audiences are entertained by the intense sneaky tricks involved in the battle for control.
Conclave is available to stream on your Peacock subscription. Feel free to revisit the social hierarchy of high school cliques with Mean Girls on your Paramount+ subscription and your Amazon Prime subscription.