Chris Pratt joins Pope Leo in a new Vatican documentary on St. Peter’s tomb, with the trailer out and a Rome festival launch tied to a major basilica anniversary.
Hollywood star Chris Pratt is guiding viewers beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in a new documentary that also features Pope Leo in its closing scenes, Variety reported in an exclusive trailer reveal.
The film, titled “Pétros Ení, Discovering the Origins,” explores the history, devotion, and archaeology around the tomb of St. Peter at the Vatican. It launches from the Rome Film Festival on Friday, ahead of a wider rollout.
Pratt, best known for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic World” franchises, walks audiences through rarely seen ground under the basilica. Pope Leo XIV appears at the end to reflect on Peter and the meaning of the tomb beneath the church.
The project marks the 400th anniversary, on Nov. 18, of the consecration of St. Peter’s. An international theatrical run is set to begin in February 2027, during the opening weeks of Lent.
The title draws on a Greek inscription found near the apostle’s burial grounds: “Pétros Ení,” meaning “Peter is here.” The film traces how that burial place became a center of devotion for early Christians and later the foundation for the first great basilica built under Emperor Constantine.
Spanish filmmaker Paula Ortiz directed. Andrea Tornielli wrote the script. AF Films, led by Frank Ariza and Manu Vega, produced with Vatican Media and La Fabbrica di San Pietro.
Hallow Studios is handling distribution in the United States and Canada. Bosco Films is releasing the documentary in Spain. Cinépolis +Que Cine is overseeing theatrical release in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia.
Pratt framed the collaboration as a serious undertaking, not a celebrity cameo.
"It was an incredible honor to collaborate with Pope Leo and the Vatican on this project. The story of St. Peter is foundational to the Christian faith, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and access I was given to bring his legacy to the screen."
That access matters. The tomb site sits at the root of Christian memory in Rome, and a mainstream star helping carry that story to theaters is a clear break from the industry’s usual distance from orthodox faith.
Pope Leo’s on-camera reflection closes the film on the meaning of Peter’s resting place under the basilica, an institutional voice paired with a familiar Hollywood face.
When a major studio name and the Vatican put St. Peter’s tomb on screen without apology, audiences get the foundation story Hollywood too often ignores.
