‘The Young Pope’: director Paolo Sorrentino differentiates lead character from Pope Francis

“The Young Pope” is an upcoming HBO miniseries and is all set to air its premiere episode on Jan. 15. Director Paolo Sorrentino recently talked about how the pope in the story differs from the current leader of the Catholic church, Pope Francis.

The show follows the life of a young pope who does not want to conform to the rules and regulations that Pope life requires. The story is inspired by the fictional story of Lenny Belardo, played by Jude Law.

The “The Young Pope’s” press release has described Pope Pius XIII as “ironic and pedantic...melancholy and ruthless.” Sorrentino has mentioned that the show acts as a kind of warning for what the real-life church’s future could hold.

But the director has made it clear that they have depicted Pope Pius XIII very differently from the existing pope. “It’s possible that after a very liberal pope, there is someone that might have very different ideas. I think it’s an illusion that the church has a long-term idea towards modernity,” Sorrentino shared at a press conference in September.

Ahead of its US release, the series already aired in Italy and the United Kingdom last year. The show has received reviews from various entertainment sites.

The Hollywood Reporter said Law’s character is “the complete opposite of the current Pope Francis.” Pope Francis is the 266th and current pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

TV Line, on the other hand, has commented that the series is flawlessly shot. The outlet has also added that the lead character’s upbringing was different and that, along with his fiery devotion to God begs questions about the nature of faith.

“The Young Pope" season 1 is slated to air in the US on Jan. 15 at at 9PM. The series' air date in Australia is yet to be announced.