Just two weeks ago, it was announced that Paramount+ (formerly known as CBS All Access) was producing a new drama series about the behind-the-scenes work that went into making “The Godfather.” Film fans were left scratching their heads, as it seemed like such an odd choice for a series. Well, now it appears we’re going to have dueling “Making of ‘The Godfather’” dramas, as Barry Levinson has just secured two major actors to play roles in his upcoming film about the making of the classic gangster film.
According to Deadline, Levinson has signed Oscar Isaac to play filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and Jake Gyllenhaal as producer Robert Evans in “Francis & the Godfather” about the development and production of “The Godfather.” The film is based on a script by Andrew Farotte that has been reworked by Levinson and will tell the stories of the battles between filmmakers over how to bring Mario Puzo’s novel to life. And while we’re not sure about his thoughts on the Paramount+ series that is also in development, it appears that Coppola has already given Barry Levinson’s film his seal of approval.
“Out of the madness of production, and against all odds, a classic film happened,” Levinson said.
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Coppola added, “Any movie that Barry Levinson makes about anything, will be interesting and worthwhile!”
While clearly Isaac and Gyllenhaal are two major A-list stars, their roles are far from the only high-profile roles that will need to be filled in the film. I mean, we’re talking “The Godfather,” which has a cast that includes Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, and Diane Keaton. While it is assumed that most of those roles (outside of maybe Brando and Pacino) will be pretty minor in the grand scheme of the film, those are opportunities that many actors will likely jump at.
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It’s also unclear when we might see “Francis & the Godfather” in theaters (or, let’s be honest, on streaming). However, you better believe this is going to be a project that we’re going to follow closely.