Suspense film will investigate the life of Pope John Paul II

Inspired by the investigation carried out on Pope John Paul II during his canonization process, the thriller “Santo Subito!” will begin filming in Italy and Poland in 2026. For this, actor Mark Ruffalo — known for his role as Hulk in “The Avengers” — will play the “devil’s advocate” who examined the Pope’s life to confirm his sainthood.

In real life, the investigation was carried out by Father Joseph Murolo, an American priest chosen by the Vatican. Now, film director Bertrand Bonello promises to tell the story of this “morally complex” investigator on screen. The title of the film refers to the cry “Santo subito!” which echoed at the Pope’s funeral in 2005.

According to US-based media company Variety, the film will take place after the pontiff’s death on April 2, 2005 and will follow Murolo as he interviews fellow devotees, the Pope’s secret confidants and witnesses. The description also informs that the priest will navigate through a “moral labyrinth” that will “put his own faith to the test”.

In the Catholic Church’s canonization process, the “advocatus diaboli”, or devil’s advocate, is hired to ensure a rigorous analysis of the candidate’s life, virtues and supposed miracles. In this way, all doubts and inconsistencies that could challenge the claims of sainthood are sought.

However, in 1983, Pope John Paul II reformed the process through the apostolic constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister, altering the role of the devil’s advocate, also known as the “promoter of faith.” The emphasis has shifted from an adversarial model to one more focused on collecting and verifying evidence, with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints overseeing the process.

Those responsible for filming announce “Santo Subito!” as a spiritually immersive film that promises genuine behind-the-scenes investigation into the world of the Vatican. Filming is expected to begin on March 9, 2026, on locations in Italy and Poland.