Paramount Pictures has released the trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s final film in the Godfather trilogy, Mario Puzo’s The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.
A re-cut version of 1990’s Godfather III, the film features a new beginning and ending, with rearranged scenes and music cues. Additionally, the picture and sound have been meticulously restored under the supervision of American Zoetrope and Paramount.
Speaking about the new version in a featurette that accompanies the trailer, Coppola said…
“I have re-edited it and given it what really isn’t a new title but rather the original title: ‘Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone’. In musical terms, a coda is sort of like an epilogue, a summing up, and that’s what we intended the movie to be. You’ll see a film which has a different beginning and ending, many scenes throughout have been repositioned, and the picture has been given, I think, a new life.”
The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone centres on Michael Corleone’s efforts to free his family from the criminal empire he took over and managed in the first two Godfather films. The first two instalments in the trilogy are considered to be among the greatest movies in cinema history.
But Godfather III received mixed reviews for some of the performances and plot-lines, even though the movie earned seven Academy Award nominations. The negative feedback is something Coppola still struggles with to this day, which explains why he calls the new version a more appropriate conclusion to the trilogy.
The stars film stars Al Pacino as Michael Corleone alongside Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia, Franc D’Ambrosio, Bridget Fonda, George Hamilton, Joe Mantegna, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach, Sofia Coppola and Raf Vallone.
Mario Puzo’s The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone will be released in select theaters on December 4th, and will be available to own on Blu-Ray and digital on December 8th.
