Looking for the correct Godfather movies in order? You’re in good company — this is one of the most searched sequencing questions in classic cinema, and the confusion is understandable. Here’s the good news: for the core trilogy, release order and chronological order are almost identical, with one major exception if you count The Godfather Coda, the 2020 re-edit of Part III.
Created by Francis Ford Coppola and adapted from Mario Puzo’s bestselling novel, the original 1972 film won three Oscars including Best Picture, grossed over $250 million on a $6 million budget, and is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. The Godfather Part II remains one of the only sequels in history to also win Best Picture.
Below is the quick-answer table, followed by a deeper breakdown of every film, plus what’s coming next for the Corleone family.
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Quick Answer: Godfather Movies in Order
| # | Film | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Godfather | 1972 | Francis Ford Coppola |
| 2 | The Godfather Part II | 1974 | Francis Ford Coppola |
| 3 | The Godfather Part III | 1990 | Francis Ford Coppola |
| 3.5 | The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (re-edit) | 2020 | Francis Ford Coppola |
Unlike most modern franchises, you can watch the Godfather movies in order of release with almost no confusion — Part II actually splits its story between a prequel timeline (young Vito) and a sequel timeline (adult Michael), so it’s chronologically layered rather than out of order
Godfather Movies in Order: The Complete Watch Guide
1. The Godfather (1972)
The film that redefined the gangster genre, The Godfather follows Vito Corleone’s youngest son Michael as he’s slowly pulled from reluctant outsider into the family business. It’s a story about power, loyalty, and the corrosive cost of both. Behind the scenes, Paramount originally wanted a low-budget B-movie; Coppola fought to cast a then-unbankable Marlon Brando and a largely unknown Al Pacino, a gamble that paid off with three Academy Awards. The film ends on a note that sets up Michael’s transformation, directly fueling the moral descent explored in Part II.
2. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Part II does something almost no sequel had done before: it runs two timelines side by side, showing young Vito’s rise in early-1900s New York while Michael consolidates — and isolates himself with — power in the present. It’s frequently cited as the rare sequel that surpasses the original, and it made Oscar history as one of the first sequels to win Best Picture. Robert De Niro’s performance as young Vito won him a Supporting Actor Oscar despite speaking almost entirely in Sicilian. The film closes with Michael more powerful and more alone than ever, a thread the franchise wouldn’t pick back up for 16 years.
3. The Godfather Part III (1990)
Set nearly two decades after Part II, The Godfather Part III finds an aging Michael Corleone trying to legitimize the family’s business empire while old sins resurface. It was famously divisive on release, partly due to a controversial casting choice for Michael’s daughter, Mary. Coppola always considered it more of a “coda” than a true third act, which he’d revisit decades later. It closes out Michael’s arc directly — no further mainline sequel has continued his story since.
3.5. The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (2020)
Not a new film but a full Coppola-supervised re-edit of Part III, The Godfather Coda restructures the opening and ending and restores Coppola’s originally intended title and tone. It was released for the franchise’s 30th anniversary after Coppola said he’d always wanted to fix pacing issues from the theatrical cut. Most fans and critics now consider Coda the definitive version of the third film. It effectively closes the Corleone saga as Coppola intended it to be seen — at least until the franchise’s next chapter.
Do You Need to Watch Part I and II Before Part III?
Yes — Part III assumes deep familiarity with Michael’s arc across the first two films and won’t land emotionally without that context. Skipping ahead means missing decades of buildup around guilt, legacy, and family loyalty that the third film is built entirely around.
Minimum viable watch order:
- The Godfather (1972) — non-negotiable starting point
- The Godfather Part II (1974) — arguably the essential second half of the story
- The Godfather Part III / Coda (1990/2020) — optional but recommended for closure; watch Coda over the original theatrical cut if choosing one version
How Many Godfather Movies Are There?
There are three mainline Godfather films, plus one significant re-edit (The Godfather Coda, 2020) that many fans treat as the “true” version of Part III. There is no separate spinoff film released yet, though that’s about to change.
All Godfather Movies in Order by Release Date
- The Godfather — March 24, 1972
- The Godfather Part II — December 12, 1974
- The Godfather Part III — December 25, 1990
- The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (re-edit) — December 4, 2020
What’s Next for the Franchise?
After decades of dormancy, the Godfather universe is expanding again — though not through Coppola. Paramount is developing a new film centered on Connie Corleone, adapting an authorized novel titled Connie by author Adriana Trigiani, written in collaboration with the Mario Puzo estate. The novel is slated for a fall 2027 release, and reporting indicates the film adaptation is tied to that book’s launch, though no director, cast, or firm release date has been confirmed.
Notably, Coppola himself is reportedly not attached to write or direct, and is currently focused on other projects. Treat any specific 2027 movie release date as unconfirmed until Paramount makes an official announcement — book adaptations don’t always make it to screen on schedule, or at all.
FAQ
Is release order the same as chronological order for the Godfather movies?
Mostly yes — Part II is the exception, since it interweaves a 1900s prequel timeline with Michael’s 1950s-60s storyline rather than existing purely as a sequel.
Should I watch The Godfather Part III or The Godfather Coda?
Watch The Godfather Coda — it’s Coppola’s own preferred re-edit and is widely considered a tighter, better-paced version of the same story.
Is there a Godfather prequel movie?
Not yet as a standalone film — young Vito’s backstory is told within Part II, not in a separate prequel movie.
Will there be a Godfather 4?
There’s no confirmed Godfather 4, but Paramount is developing a Connie Corleone-focused film tied to a 2027 novel release; details remain unconfirmed.
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