Paramount Pictures is bringing The Godfather back to the big screen in commemoration of the movie's 50th anniversary. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather is still considered to be one of the best movies of all time. A newly-restored version will give fans the chance to see it in theaters next month, and you can watch the trailer for the 50th anniversary screening below.
In late February, the classic film will have a limited theatrical release in Dolby Vision exclusively in Dolby Cinema at AMC Theatres in the U.S., as well as in international territories around the world. Additionally, all three Godfather films have been meticulously restored under the direction of Francis Ford Coppola and will be made available on 4K Ultra HD on March 22, 2022.
“I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life,” Coppola said of the restoration. “With this 50th anniversary tribute, I’m especially proud Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is included, as it captures Mario and my original vision in definitively concluding our epic trilogy. It’s also gratifying to celebrate this milestone with Paramount alongside the wonderful fans who’ve loved it for decades, younger generations who still find it relevant today, and those who will discover it for the first time.”
Experience The Godfather Like Never Before With the New Restoration
Per the press release, Coppola’s masterful film adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel chronicles the rise and fall of the Corleone family and the film trilogy is rightfully viewed as one of the greatest in cinematic history. In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the first film’s original release on March 24, 1972, Paramount and Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope undertook a painstaking restoration of all three films over the course of three years.
Every effort was made to create the finest possible presentation for today’s audiences who can watch the films using technology that has advanced dramatically since 2007 when the last restoration was completed by eminent film historian and preservationist Robert Harris. Using that work as a blueprint, the team spent thousands of hours to ensure that every frame was evaluated to create the most pristine presentation while remaining true to the original look and feel of the films.
“We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them,” said Andrea Kalas, senior vice president, Paramount Archives. “We were able to witness first-hand how the brilliant cinematography, score, production design, costume design, editing, performances, and, of course, screenwriting and direction became famously more than the sum of their parts. It was our commitment to honor all of the filmmakers’ exceptional work.”
Meanwhile, Paramount will be delving deeper into the making of The Godfather with The Offer, a limited series about how the classic film came to be. It stars Miles Teller, Matthew Goode, Giovanni Ribisi, Colin Hanks, Dan Fogler, and Juno Temple. It will debut on the streaming service Paramount+ on April 28, 2022. As for The Godfather, the new movie returns to theaters on Feb. 25, 2022, followed by its 4K Ultra HD release on March 22, 2022.