Without getting too deeply into it, the ending of HBO’s limited series The Young Pope left the fate of Lenny Belardo (Jude Law), the sunglasses-wearing, chain-smoking youthful American pontiff of the title, uncertain. And now, in an intriguing development, there’s a New Pope in town for director Paolo Sorrentino’s follow-up series, as Deadline reports.
Law will return for The New Pope, alongside newcomer John Malkovich. Producers aren’t giving any details as to who either actor will be playing in the follow-up series, but new pope, new cast member, you figure it out. Sorrentino may also be going for an American Horror Story-style anthology approach, using the same actors (in this case, Law) in a different papal storyline for each limited series. Further obscuring Sorrentino’s intentions for The New Pope is the lack of information on whether any other Young Pope cast members will return for the sequel, but we imagine the paparazzi will keep us updated on that when The New Pope begins filming in Italy in November.
In the meantime, that’s your cue to start whipping up some New Pope jokes for social media. It won’t be as easy as the Young Pope jokes, to be sure. But we have faith in you.