Though Hollywood tackles the gangster movie every year, none have approached the legendary status of The Godfather. It’s no surprise then that almost four decades after the release of the first film people are still hungry for more about the Corleone family. If you’re one them, you’re in luck: Reuters is reporting that a prequel novel entitled The Family Corleone is set for a June 2012 release, based on an unused screenplay written by Godfather author Mario Puzo, who also co-wrote the screenplays for all three films. The screenplay is to be adapted for the novel by Edward Falco. The novel is expected to cover the rise of Vito Corleone, which was partially chronicled in The Godfather Part II, featuring Robert DeNiro as Vito.
Perhaps the screenplay in question is Mario Puzo‘s rough draft of what was to be The Godfather Part IV. Director Francis Ford Coppola has indicated that before Puzo‘s death in 1999 he completed a rough draft for that film, which covered the early days of Vito Corleone (roughly 1926-1939, after the flashback scenes in Godfather Part II) and the then “modern day” leadership of Vincent Mancini-Corleone (played by Andy Garcia in Godfather Part III). It’s nice to see that the novel is going to be based on Puzo‘s own work — I gave 2005’s The Godfather Returns a try (which was a sequel novel that did not originate with Puzo material) and couldn’t stomach it. Perhaps if this new novel is considered a success, something similar will be done with Puzo‘s screenplay material relating to Vincent Mancini-Corleone.
Now, will this material ever make it to film? Francis Ford Coppola has routinely denied having any interest in making a fourth Godfather film (he didn’t even want to make the third one), so it’s unlikely, but I am sure Paramount is always interested… but are you? Let us know your thoughts on a possible Godfather prequel/sequel (or both!) in our comments.
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