Paramount prepping new Godfather?
Posted : November 10, 2006 Writer : Clint Morris
Remember those rumours about a possible “Godfather 4”? Remember how they said it would star Anthony LaPaglia, and be filmed in his native Australia? Well, those rumours were a pile of horse dun… apparently.

The good news is - there might be another “Godfather” film – or two.

Thanks to the success of the book “The Godfather Returns” – and the newly commissioned “The Godfather’s Revenge” – Paramount have decided to try and transfer those literary beauties to the big screen. Though the studio snapped up the rights to the books – both written by Mark Winegardner – quite a few months back, its only this month that “Returns and Revenge films seem to have been ramped up to active -development status – meaning they’ll probably get underway within the next year” a rat within the ranks at the studios, tells Moviehole. “I don’t think the new film is going to be done in Australia [though], no”.

The casting problem with “The Godfather Returns” is that the story is set between “The Godfather” and “The Godfather II” – yep, its been quite a few years since Al Pacino and company gave life to those characters, so it’d be almost impossible to fluke it with CGI – so unless someone can turn back the clock…

“They’ll re-cast naturally”, the studio leak says. “I guess you’ll notice it about as much as Brandon Routh stepping in for Christopher Reeve in Superman [Returns] – a film that was supposedly set between Superman II and Superman III. Difference being here of course, all the characters will probably be recast”.

The second film, “Godfathers Revenge”, will much easier to cast because it’s a “prequel, about how Tommy Hagen came to shack up with the Corleone’s”.

No word whether Andy Garcia will get a look-in in any of the films, but the actor, who co-starred in “The Godfather Part III”, said recently that he’s surprised Paramount haven’t done anything “Godfather” sooner. "The irony and fascination for me is that - with all the movies Paramount takes risks on each year - they have this franchise people are desperate to see and they won't green-light it”, said Garcia. (Garcia was said to have suggested to director Francis Ford Coppola that Leonardo Di Caprio play Sonny Corleone in a “Godfather” prequel).

Here’s my two-bob : I see the films happening, but I see them being VERY different beasts, - almost disparate - to the original films. They may feature the same characters, they may even retread over familiar territory, but they’ll be more contemporary re-working’s if anything. I guess, in some respects, they have to be – today’s main cinema-going audience weren’t even around – and I’m predicting eight out of ten 17-year-olds haven’t even seen the original films – when Brando presented us with an offer we “couldn’t refuse” all those years ago.

Thanks to “Ms Published”


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I don't know about you guys, but i think that making a new godfather movie and basing it on a book that is loathed in the godfather community isn't exactly the greatest of ideas. I see this movie tanking if it does get made. Though with a gay Fredo they would be keeping with the times

I guess Im one out of those 2.....16 years old and can't get enough of the GF's!!!

A movie made about the GF Returns? That's an infamnia!

I can't say nothing about GF Revenge cuz it hasn't come in the mail yet

Mr. Soprano,

I don't doubt this information that you have provided. Would you mind providing me with a link, or a source of this information. I would love to look into this a bit more.

I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.


Don Cardi

Of course Dc this is thelink

I've been going to this website for a few years now and have come to trust most of their info. Hopefully you can post your thoughts on the website, and what other info you might find.

Thank you Mr. Soprano.

Don Cardi

Mentioned here too. If "Revenge" is any good then it might worth sitting through 2.5-3hrs of a "Returns" film.

http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061108/FON05/61108110/1338/FONent

Di Caprio as Sonny?

How about Brittany Spears as Deanna???

Rosanne Barr as Mama Corleone?

What a fucking retarded idea (not yours, Mr. S, but Paramount's). Re-cast a classic movie like The Godfather for crappy book(s) that are acknowledged by the community as pretty bad and in my opinion, un-canonical, at least in my view, to the actual book/movies.

If they make another, it should be like GF2 where you have Sonny and Tom Hagen in their youth, and then Vincent Corleone overseeing the final days of the Corleone empire.

Yeah, this is probably the worst idea ever. The books just aren't that great. I can see maybe (and it's a strech) making a GF4, but to make a prequel? Stupid.

If they are going to make another Godfather, why would they risk making two based on Winegardners mediocrity, when they can make GFIV and keep it true to the story line with Andy Garcia as Vincent and maybe Al Pacino as old Michael. It wouldn't be a big deal for different people to play young Sonny and young Tom because different actors played the flashbacks in GFII. I am not a big fan of them making another one, but if they are going to do it, the right thing to do would be GFIV. Plugging the new movie in between the trilogy and having different actors in the big roles would just be blasphemy in my opinion.

Ace

"If they make another, it should be like GF2 where you have Sonny and Tom Hagen in their youth, and then Vincent Corleone overseeing the final days of the Corleone empire."

It's like you read my mind :o! I think that this is strictly a way for Paramount to make more money. They don't care what we think, they only care about the money. If they were gonna make a Godfather Part IV involving Vincent they would have done it by the 1993-2001 range. Waiting 16 years to make a sequel {like GFIII} is a little to long for me.

Well,not only do I think that GDF4 is a bad idea, I also think that you could not make any GDF without Pacino,and even if you did,it would not be the same beacause Al is 66, and it was the best when he was young, and as he aged he changed quite dramaticlly. Physically,he is not even the way he was in GDF3 (still cute thoudh!) He the kind of man that has very dramatic changes with age. So, it just would'nt feel right.

Yes Pacino definatly is louder these days, but that doesn't mean that he couldn't still play a very good Mike. And his advanced age would sort of aide the GF4 split story, considering Mike would be nearing his deathbed. I personally don't mind a GF4 as long as its taken from the supposed existing script that puzo wrote. Sure i'd agree that FFC might have to make some changes to keep with the times, but i'm sure he hasn't lost all his talents just yet.

Well, in my opinion anyway, the only way to make "The Godfather Part IV" would mean it would be about Vincent. Pacino, 66, during a story {Returns} when his character was in his 30s when he originally did it...does not make sense to me.

LOL. I can't wait for the scene where Kay (Cameron Diaz) tells Michael (Ben Affleck) that she faked the abortion just to "make him mad."

Also looking forward to the scene where Mike and Kay are in the movie theater and she grabs his schlong and says "Behold the wood."

I also hope they cast Jake Gyllenhaal as Fredo and Heath Ledger as his gay love interest.

This movie has the potential to become a lame porno.

What sad news this is. I usually bust a nut over the prospect of a new GF film, but not when they are based on these crap novels. So count me out of the Part IV or Returns/Revenge film adaptations for now.

Now, if someone other than Winegardener could write a book that chronicles the family after Part III, then that might be worth making into a movie. But going back and recasting roles that were made famous even by the smallest bit players is blasphemy.

UHG, I agree.
And you watch, they'll probably cast Fergie as Fredo's slutty wife.No,Gwen Stafani.
They don't make the actors like they used to.Sigh,it just won't be right.

It will be the worst Godfather ever...
They may also change the gf theme music to some hip hop music...

"The Godfather Part IV: Godfather in da Hood" Starring Jamie Fox, Mike Epps, Dr. Drea, and Beyonce Knowles.

Hey you forgot to mention Samuel L. Jackson and Laurence Fishburne!

Soundtrack featuring Ciara,and T.I.

The thought of it is awful. Its like when they tried to do that written sequel to Gone With The Wind or the re make of Psycho.

Just let it be. The Godfather ain't broke, so no one should have to fix it.