Paramount has released a trailer for their upcoming release ofThe Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. Originally released asThe Godfather Part III, this new version has been re-edited as well as given a new beginning and ending. For those who have never seenPart III, the film is about Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) desire to get out of a life of crime and go legit, but he’s constantly pulled back by rival mobs as well as his fiery successor Vincent (Andy Garcia).
Paramount has also released a brief featurette with co-writer and directorFrancis Ford Coppolaexplaining why he wanted to revisit the film in the first place. For Coppola, he always saw this movie as more of a coda—and epilogue—that summed up the first two movies rather than an entirely new part. For me, I’m kind of interested to jump back into the entireGodfathertrilogy, and especially to see howCodadiffers from the original cut.Part IIIhas notoriously been the weakest of the threeGodfathermovies, and I’m curious to see how this new version affects that legacy. There are certain elements that are beyond fixing (likeSofia Coppola’s limited acting ability), but perhaps with a new structure,Codacan stand next to the classic first two movies rather than being the Fredo of the bunch.
Check out the trailer and featurette below.The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleonearrives in limited theatrical release on December 4th before arriving on Digital and Blu-ray on December 8th.
Here’s the official synopsis forThe Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone:
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of The Godfather: Part III, director/screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola brings a definitive new edit and restoration of the final film in his epic Godfather trilogy—Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), now in his 60s, seeks to free his family from crime and find a suitable successor to his empire. That successor could be fiery Vincent (Andy Garcia)… but he may also be the spark that turns Michael’s hope of business legitimacy into an inferno of mob violence. The film’s meticulously restored picture and sound, under the supervision of American Zoetrope and Paramount Pictures, includes a new beginning and ending, as well as changes to scenes, shots, and music cues. The resulting project reflects author Mario Puzo and Coppola’s original intentions of The Godfather: Part III, and delivers, in the words of Coppola, “a more appropriate conclusion to The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II.”’
