The Godfather Part III (1990)

The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American epic gangster film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from the screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo. The film stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy García, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Bridget Fonda, George Hamilton and Sofia Coppola. It is the sequel to The Godfather Part II (1974) and the final installment of The Godfather trilogy. The film concludes the fictional story of Michael Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, who attempts to legitimize his criminal empire. It also includes fictionalized accounts of two real-life events: the 1978 death of Pope John Paul I and the Papal banking scandal of 1981–1982, both linked to Michael Corleone's business affairs.

Although Coppola initially refused to return for a third film, he eventually signed to direct and write Part III. In his audio commentary for Part II, Coppola stated that only a dire financial situation, caused by the failure of his 1982 musical fantasy One from the Heart, compelled him to take up Paramount's long-standing offer to make a third installment. Coppola and Puzo wanted the title to be The Death of Michael Corleone, for they felt that the first two films had told the complete Corleone saga, so Part III would serve as the epilogue, but Paramount Pictures thought that that title was unacceptable.

Winona Ryder was initially cast in the role of Michael Corleone's daughter Mary, but eventually left production due to other commitments and nervous exhaustion. The role was ultimately given to Coppola's daughter Sofia, a decision that garnered much criticism and accusations of nepotism. Principal photography took place from late 1989 to early 1990, with filming locations in both Italy and the United States.

The Godfather Part III premiered in Beverly Hills on December 20, 1990, and was widely released in the United States on December 25. The film received mostly positive reviews, although it was considered inferior to the previous films and a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy. Critics praised Pacino’s and Garcia’s performances, as well as Coppola’s direction, cinematography, editing, and production design, but criticized the plot and Sofia Coppola’s performance. It grossed $136.8 million worldwide, and garnered seven nominations at the 63rd Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Garcia). It also received seven nominations at the 48th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (Pacino).

In December 2020, a recut version of the film, titled The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, was released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the original version. Coppola called this version closer to his original vision for the film, and it received warmer reviews from critics.