Why ‘The Godfather Part IV’ Never Happened

It’s been 34 years since The Godfather film series ended, and there still hasn’t been anything else like it. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and inspired by Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel of the same name by Italian American author Mario Puzo, the films cover the wins and challenges of the fictional Corleone crime family. Its patriarch, Vito Corleone (played by Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro) grows from a small-time hoodlum in Manhattan’s Little Italy to one of the most influential crime bosses in America. His youngest reluctant son, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), then comes out of his shell and succeeds him, aiming to enter the Fortune 500 territory and keep the family square with the law.

Distributed by Paramount Pictures, the films achieved great success at the global box office, grossing $517 million collectively, according to Box Office Mojo. The series was also heavily recognized by the Oscars, winning 9 of the 28 Academy Awards it was nominated for. Today, most fans and commentators consider The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, with Part III generally thought of as a dull and unnecessary sequel. The limping attempts to explore religion and a poorly written role for Sofia Coppola make the love-crime concoction well-nigh unwatchable. And the limping attempts at comicality only add to the discomfort. But despite the disdain towards this chapter of the story, Coppola was still planning to make a fourth movie, only for cruel fate to interfere.

What ‘The Godfather Part IV’ Would Have Looked Like

The announcement of The Godfather Part III came as a total surprise, considering that Coppola had vowed not to make a third film. However, it’s easy to see what drove him to such a choice. Paramount Pictures needed another hit. So did Coppola. The ‘80s hadn’t been so kind to the director, so he had to do something that would put him back at the top of the game. And what better to do that than to revisit the material that made him famous in the first place? After lengthy negotiations, he agreed to do the job after subtly negotiating some personal clauses into the deal.

After The Godfather: Part III, the desire to continue was stronger. In his DVD commentary for the 1990 gangster movie, Coppola discloses that he and author Puzo began exchanging ideas for a new script. The author had helped in writing all the previous three movies, so the filmmaker still needed his input for the fourth installment.

According to Coppola, the next chapter would’ve introduced several new characters, twining their fates in a roundelay of ill-fated proceedings that spoke to the dark ironies of crime and human interaction. Additionally, it was going to use the same template as Part II, split between different timelines.

The new film would explore the modern era, covering Vincent’s time as the new head of the Corleone crime family, and a peak back to the old era. The in-depth portrait would have examined the role Sonny played in his own downfall while simultaneously rejoicing in the legacy he left behind. Meanwhile, Vincent’s new role would be a whirlwind of goings-on and conflicting personalities, and that’s just the Cosa Nostra members.

The new boss was expected to lead the Corleone family into the drug trade, suggesting that behind all the confidence and defiance was a scared, bewildered man ill-equipped to handle the weight of leadership. His foray into the drug trade is a move his predecessors would never have approved, but that’s only the surface. Haunted by the death of Mary, Vincent was destined to make other questionable choices, including the reckless pursuit of revenge.

‘The Godfather Part IV’ Looked Promising, But Mario Puzo’s Death Forced Coppola to Abandon the Project

The Godfather: Part IV’s plot sure sounds better than that of The Godfather Part III. With it, Coppola might have erased the stains of the previous film, while giving fans a perfect blend of both the modern and old eras.

The film was first announced in 1999 by The Guardian. In the previous installment, Andy García had been a revelation, portraying Vincent with a heartbreaking blend of defiance and resilience. Coppola had thus vowed to bring him back. Additionally, Leonardo DiCaprio was singled out as the best actor to play a younger version of Vincent’s father Sonny, who had originally been portrayed by James Caan.

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Given how well DiCaprio has done in crime movies, there is no doubt that he’d have been excellent as Sonny. It would be refreshing to see him deviate from his standard lover-boy persona, pivoting to a wholly credible portrayal of an Italian-American gangster (required accent included).

Unfortunately, Mario Puzo died of heart failure on July 2, 1999, at his West Bay Shore home. The death of the 78-year-old author and screenwriter forced plans for a fourth film to be scrapped, leaving fans with the trilogy. At the time of his death, he had been working on the manuscript for Omerta. The book would eventually be published posthumously.

In the Age of Legacy Sequels, ‘The Godfather Part IV’ Can Still Be Made

“Legacy sequels” are becoming more and more popular, meaning The Godfather: Part IV could still happen. Blade Runner 2049, Top Gun: Maverick, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Beverly Hills: Axel. F have all done fairly well, meaning there is likely to be an appetite for a new Corleone story.

Unfortunately, Coppola doesn’t seem too interested in revisiting this fictional mafia world again. Queried about the possibility of The Godfather: Part IV during an Instagram exchange, the filmmaker responded bluntly,

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He said:

“In my mind, there is only 1 film known as The Godfather (Parts I and II) and an epilogue or ‘coda’ The Death of Michael Corleone.”

Coppola’s contempt for the idea of another sequel seems equal to fans’ desire for it. However, loyalists of the film series shouldn’t lose hope, since the director doesn’t have to be present for a fourth film to happen. After all, most legacy sequels have been directed by different people. We posit that any major advancement in the production of a new picture will depend on the inclination of everyone at Paramount Pictures to re-consider their long-engrained percpetion that the story looks better as a trilogy.

Would it be a good idea to make The Godfather: Part IV without Francis Ford Coppola? Certainly. His recent track record proves that this is the best course of action. The filmmaker hasn’t had a hit in ages, and Megalopolis only made things worse for him. He might not know it, but there is a high chance his greatest strength lies in gangster films, same as Martin Scorsese. Regrettably, he has refused to explore the genre further, so it will be best to move on without him. Would Andy Garciareturn? He’d be a trifle old for the role of Vincent now, but we expect his virtuosity to fully compensate.

Most importantly, there hasn’t been a proper gangster film — in the league of Goodfellas and The Godfather — in a while. Many filmmakers have tried, but none has come close. Now, therefore, seems like the perfect time to pay another visit to the Corleones.