Watch Order (Release = Chronological)Recommended
0 / 3 watchedThree films in release order, which is also the story order.
- 1 The Godfather Vito reign and Michael entry, 175 minutes.
- 2 The Godfather Part II Young Vito flashbacks plus Michael in 1958.
- 3 The Godfather Part III Or the 2020 Coda recut as an alternate version.
About The Godfather
The Godfather follows Vito Corleone and his son Michael as the family moves from New York rackets toward Nevada casinos and legitimized business. Part II cuts between young Vito building power in the 1910s and Michael defending it in 1958, while Part III jumps to 1979 and Michael trying to buy his way out through Vatican banking.
Coppola re-edited Part III in 2020 as The Godfather Coda with a new opening and ending. Treat Coda as an alternate cut of the third film rather than a fourth entry, and watch the trilogy in release order since the flashbacks in Part II only land after the first film.
Good to know
Release order is story order for practical purposes. Part II contains prequel flashbacks to Vito youth, but they are built to play as contrast inside that film, not as a separate prequel to watch first. Watch the theatrical Part III or Coda, not both on a first viewing, since Coda runs shorter with a different opening title and closing beat. No fourth film exists and Coppola has said the story ends here.
