Mark Ruffalo, who landed an Oscar nomination in 2023 for his role in “Poor Things,” will head back to Europe for his next daring project. He’s poised to play a morally complex investigator in “Santo Subito!,” a Vatican-set thriller based on a true story, which will be directed by French helmer Bertrand Bonello (“The Beast,” “Saint Laurent”).
Co-written by Thomas Bidegain, the Oscar-nominated co-screenwriter of “Emilia Perez,” “Santo Subito!” will star Ruffalo as Father Joseph Murolo, an American-born priest summoned by the Vatican to serve as the “devil’s advocate” in the investigation of Pope John Paul II’s life and potential path to sainthood. Set after the pontiff’s death on April 2, 2005, the film follows Murolo as he interviews confidantes and witnesses, navigating a “moral labyrinth” that ultimately puts his own faith to the test.
“Santo Subito!” will begin filming on March 9 on location in Italy and Poland. Playtime, a Vuelta Group company, has boarded international sales on the project and will introduce it to buyers at the American Film Market, alongside Christine D’Souza Gelb of 2AM and Rena Ronson at UTA, who reps the U.S.
European studio Vuelta is also backing the ambitious project, underscoring the company’s ambition to build a track record in high-profile international movies following Alexander Payne’s “Somewhere Out There,” which was bought by Searchlight Pictures before it even started shooting.
“Santo Subito!” is produced by thriving companies across Europe, including France with Mandarin & Compagnie (“Alpha,” “Monsieur Aznavour”); Italy with Indiana Production (“Romeo is Juliet”), another Vuelta-owned label; and Poland with Madants (“High Life”).
Teased as both a thriller and a theological reckoning, the story follows Murolo, who “must make sure that nothing undermines the sanctification of Karol Wojtyla, the first non-Italian pope in 450 years. As he interviews a range of witnesses — from devoted colleagues to secret confidantes — Murolo is drawn ever deeper into a moral labyrinth. This journey of truth will ultimately put his own faith to the test,” the synopsis reads.
Playtime partner Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, who co-produces the film on top of handling international sales, billed “Santo Subito!” as spiritually immersive. “The film offers a genuine behind-the-scenes investigation of the Vatican world, while also taking us into the deeper realm of faith and values. The script itself is a page-turner, and I can’t imagine any audience remaining indifferent to Father Murolo’s journey,” said Brigaud-Robert, who also predicted “Ruffalo will bring the character the depth and intensity it deserves.”
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Mandarin’s veteran producer Eric Altmayer emphasized the story’s global reach: “We are very proud to tell this universal story, which raises intimate questions, carried by a great filmmaker.” Mandarin has so far produced more than 70 films, spanning François Ozon’s “By the Grace of God,” Michel Hazanavicius’s “OSS 117,” Anne Fontaine’s “Chocolat” and Bonello’s “Saint Laurent,” which competed at Cannes.
For Vuelta, the Vatican intrigue carries strategic weight. “We’re blessed to partner with visionary producers Mandarin and Madants on ‘Santo Subito!’, the first project to embody Vuelta’s 360° European studio approach,” said CCO David Atlan-Jackson. “Uniting the exceptional talents of Bertrand Bonello and Thomas Bidegain with the magnetic presence of Mark Ruffalo, there could be no better film to express Vuelta’s ambition and belief in the creative power of cinema to speak to the world.”
The below-the-line roster underscores the project’s prestige pedigree, featuring cinematographer Josée Deshaies (“The Beast,” “Saint Laurent”), art director Dimitri Capuani (“Io Capitano”), costume designer Edoardo Russo (“Diamanti,” “The Hand of God”) and sound designer Nicolas Cantin (“Father Mother Sister Brother”). Alessandro Mascheroni (“Five Seconds,” “Human Capital”) serves as executive producer.
Bonello, one of France’s most prominent auteurs, has presented three films in official competition at Cannes — “Tiresia” (2003), “House of Tolerance” (2011) and “Saint Laurent” (2014). In 2023, he premiered “The Beast,” a dystopian romance starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, at Venice and Toronto.
Ruffalo is represented by Lighthouse Management and Media, UTA, Relevant and Keith Klevan.
Playtime will launch sales on “Santo Subito!” at the American Film Market, where its slate also includes Nanni Moretti’s “It Will Happen Tonight,” Emmanuel Courcol’s “Greenland” and Rafa Cobos’s “Golpe,” as well as the family adventure “Indiana and the Otters’ Legend” from the producers of “Mia and the White Lion.”
From Variety US