'The New Pope' First Look: Jude Law And John Malkovich Aren't Getting Any Younger

HBO has unveiled the first look at the limited series The New Pope, the follow-up to Paolo Sorrentino's 2016 drama series The Young Pope, which starred Jude Law. Law returns as the titular maverick pope in The New Pope, alongside series newcomer John Malkovich as the new lead of the series. See The New Pope first look at Law and Malkovich below.

Jude Law's Lenny Belardo/Pope Pius XIII may not getting any younger, he seems to have the same flair for upheaval if you go by that mischievous smile he flashes at the camera in this The New Pope first look. But he'll be handing the reins over to Malkovich's unnamed character as the new lead of the series — though it seems he may be reluctant to give up the spotlight considering his placement in this first look image.

Sorrentino is back to write and direct all eight episodes of The New Pope, which HBO is describing as "Sorrentino's second limited series set in the world of modern papacy," according to Deadline. It's likely that The New Pope will pick up directly after The Young Pope, with original cast members Silvio Orlando, Javier Cámara, Cécile de France, Ludivine Sagnier, and Maurizio Lombardi all returning for the new run. New cast members include Henry Goodman, Ulrich Thomsen, Mark Ivanir, and Massimo Ghini.

The Young Pope earned critical acclaim when it debuted on HBO in 2016, notably becoming the first Italian series ever nominated for a Primetime Emmy. The New Pope kicked off production in the fall, which likely means it will premiere sometime by the end of 2019.

HBO has not announced an official release date for The New Pope.