HBO has set the premiere date for the anticipated limited drama series The Young Pope, directed by Paolo Sorrentino. The first part of the 10-episode series will debut on at 9 PM Sunday, January 15, and the second part will follow the next night at the same time. The remaining episodes will air subsequent Sundays and Mondays at the same time.

Jude Law stars as Lenny Belardo, aka Pius XIII, the first American pope in history. Young and charming, his election seems to be the result of a simple yet effective media strategy on the part of the College of Cardinals. But appearances can be deceptive – above all, in the place where people have chosen the great mystery of God as the compass guiding their existence. That place is the Vatican and those people are the leaders of the Church. And Pius XIII proves to be the most mysterious and contradictory of them all. Shrewd and naïve, ironic and pedantic, primeval and cutting-edge, doubting and resolute, melancholy and ruthless, Pius XIII tries to cross the endless river of human solitude to find a God he can give to mankind. And to himself. Diane Keaton stars as Sister Mary, a nun from the U.S. now living in Vatican City. The cast also includes Silvio Orlando, Scott Shepherd, Cécile de France, Javier Cámara, Ludivine Sagnier, Toni Bertorelli and James Cromwell.

The Young Pope is a joint production of Sky, HBO and Canal+; produced by Wildside; co-produced by Haut et Court TV and MediaPro. Executive producers for Wildside are Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani together with John Lyons.