Star of "Risen", Joseph Fiennes, Meets Pope Francis Today

Joseph Fiennes, star of Sony Pictures' new film release RISEN, met Pope Francis in Vatican City today. Fiennes is in town with actress Mario Botto and the producers to promote RISEN, which opens in theaters nationwide in the USA on February 19, 2016. The film will be screened at the Vatican tomorrow. No word on SPHE's DVD/Blu-ray release yet.

RISEN is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection and the weeks that followed, as seen through the eyes of an unbelieving Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a high-ranking Roman Military Tribune. Clavius and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton) are instructed by Pontius Pilate to ensure Jesus' radical followers don't steal his body and claim resurrection. When the body goes missing within days, Clavius sets out on a mission to locate the missing body in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

          

Rome, Italy - February 3, 2016: Risen star, Joseph Fiennes meets Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.

                

AFFIRM Films (a Sony Pictures Entertainment company) originally acquired worldwide rights from LD Entertainment on RISEN and will release the film in association with Columbia Pictures and LD Entertainment. Starring Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love), Tom Felton (Harry Potter), Peter Firth ("Spooks") and Cliff Curtis (Live Free or Die Hard), and Maria Botto, and directed by Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), the action drama will be released in theaters nationwide on Friday, February 19, 2016.

 

RISEN's screenplay is by Kevin Reynolds and Paul Aiello from a story by Paul Aiello. It is produced by Mickey Liddell (The Grey), Patrick Aiello (As Above, So Below), and Pete Shilaimon (In Secret), and executive produced by Robert Huberman and Scott Holroyd