Francis Ford Coppola Is Re-Editing 'The Godfather: Part III' & Will Release It In Theaters In December

There are some artists that put a project out into the world and let it live on its own, never to revisit it again. That artist is most definitely not Francis Ford Coppola. The legendary filmmaker, who is responsible for some of the most iconic films of the past 50 years, has always been a bit of a tinkerer. Just look at the confusion surrounding which version of “Apocalypse Now” is the definitive cut, if you need proof. And now, the filmmaker’s love of re-editing is coming back with a new version of “The Godfather: Part III.” Oh wait, that’s not the title anymore. It’s now “Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.”

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That’s right, Paramount has just announced that Coppola is returning to the ‘Godfather’ trilogy to take another crack at the third part, the film that most people point to as the weakest of the three. And he’s not only going to re-edit the film, but Paramount is celebrating the 30th anniversary of ‘Part III’ with a new theatrical release of Coppola’s latest cut in December, followed by Digital and disc release.

“‘Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone’ is an acknowledgment of Mario’s and my preferred title and our original intentions for what became ‘The Godfather: Part III,’” said Coppola. “For this version of the finale, I created a new beginning and ending, and rearranged some scenes, shots, and music cues. With these changes and the restored footage and sound, to me, it is a more appropriate conclusion to ‘The Godfather’ and ‘The Godfather: Part II’ and I’m thankful to Jim Gianopulos and Paramount for allowing me to revisit it.”

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Andrea Kalas, senior vice president, Paramount Archives, added, “Mr. Coppola oversaw every aspect of the restoration while working on the new edit, ensuring that the film not only looks and sounds pristine, but also meets his personal standards and directorial vision.”

If you haven’t seen “The Godfather: Part III,” the film follows the final days of an aging Michael Corleone, who has been the centerpiece of the entire franchise as he rose to become the head of a major crime organization. Though the film doesn’t quite live up to the first two, ‘Part III’ did earn seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

But hey, if Coppola was never pleased with the film, then by all means, let the man tinker. But I really don’t feel like we should have to refer to it as “Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.” That’s just silly.