gamzer.team · November 12, 2026
Watching The Godfather movies in order is simple: Francis Ford Coppola’s trilogy has three films — The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part II (1974) and The Godfather Part III (1990). A fourth title adds confusion: Coda from 2020 is not a new film but a recut of Part III. Below are a release-order table with each film’s running time, the saga’s chronology, the main cast, where to start and where to watch The Godfather in Ukraine. No spoilers; data was checked against Wikipedia on November 9, 2026.
In short
Watch them in release order: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Godfather Part III. Instead of Part III you can pick the 2020 version, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, which Coppola considers the version he intended. The first two films both won the Academy Award for Best Picture, so if you are short on time, start with them.
All The Godfather films in release order
| № | Film | Year | Minutes | What it centers on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Godfather | 1972 | 175 | Vito Corleone and his youngest son Michael |
| 2 | The Godfather Part II | 1974 | 200 | Michael as the new Don and young Vito |
| 3 | The Godfather Part III | 1990 | 162 | Michael tries to legitimize the family business |
| — | The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone | 2020 | 158 | A recut of Part III, not a separate film |
The Godfather: every part in brief
Coppola made the trilogy from Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel; the two wrote the screenplays together, and Paramount Pictures distributed all three films. Together the films won 9 of their 28 Academy Award nominations.
The Godfather (1972)
Official trailer · “The Godfather” (1972)In the mid-1940s, World War II veteran Michael Corleone keeps his distance from the affairs of his father, New York Mafia Don Vito Corleone. Vito’s refusal to enter the narcotics business sets off a war between the families, and Michael has to choose a side. The film won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando) and Best Adapted Screenplay. The American Film Institute ranks it the second-greatest film in American cinema.
The Godfather Part II (1974)
Official trailer · “The Godfather Part II” (1974)Part II is both a sequel and a prequel. One storyline follows Michael, the new Don, in 1958–1959; the other follows young Vito from his Sicilian childhood in 1901 to the founding of the family business in New York. Robert De Niro plays young Vito. It was the first sequel to win Best Picture; it won six Oscars in all, including Best Director and De Niro’s award.
The Godfather Part III (1990)
In 1979, Michael is approaching sixty, plagued with guilt and trying to take the family out of crime. Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), the illegitimate son of his late brother Sonny, enters the picture. The plot weaves in fictionalized versions of real events — the death of Pope John Paul I and the Papal banking scandal of 1981–1982. The film received seven Oscar nominations but no wins; critics faulted the plot and Sofia Coppola’s performance as Mary Corleone.
The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (2020)
Official trailer · “The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone” (2020)For Part III’s 30th anniversary, Coppola recut it: the beginning and the ending changed, and some scenes and musical cues were edited differently. Michael’s Vatican meeting, which used to come forty minutes in, now opens the film. Coppola and Puzo had wanted to call the 1990 version The Death of Michael Corleone, but Paramount refused. A limited theatrical release began on December 4, 2020, followed by the digital release on December 8; Al Pacino and Diane Keaton approved the new cut.
Part III: three versions
The third film raises the most questions because it exists in three cuts. The story is the same; the difference is the running time, the opening and the ending.
| Version | Year | Minutes | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatrical cut | 1990 | 162 | Released on home video only in 2022, in the trilogy’s 50th anniversary 4K box set |
| “Final Director’s Cut” | 1991 | 170 | Adds nine minutes of deleted footage; until 2020 it was the only version on home video |
| Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone | 2020 | 158 | New opening and ending; according to Coppola, the version he and Puzo envisioned |
The Godfather in story order
The saga spans almost eight decades, and Part II keeps jumping between its two storylines. The chronology looks like this:
| When it happens | What to watch |
|---|---|
| From 1901 | Young Vito: the flashbacks in The Godfather Part II |
| Mid-1940s onward | The Godfather |
| 1958–1959 | Michael’s storyline in The Godfather Part II |
| 1979 | The Godfather Part III or Coda |
A chronological edit already exists. In 1977, Coppola and his editors assembled The Godfather Saga for television: a 434-minute miniseries of the first two films in chronological order with additional footage. Later video versions followed, including The Godfather: The Epic 1901–1959 (423 minutes); an altered version of it aired on HBO in 2016.
Where to start
| Route | What to watch | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| The classic | The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Godfather Part III | Those who want to see the saga as audiences did in 1990 |
| Coppola’s intent | The first two films, then Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone | Those for whom the director’s version matters |
| Short | The Godfather and The Godfather Part II | Those with two free evenings: it is a complete story of Vito and Michael |
Tip. Save the chronology and The Godfather Saga for a rewatch: the first time around, Part II works best precisely as an answer to the first film.
The Godfather cast across the saga
| Character | 1972 | 1974 | 1990 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Corleone | Al Pacino | Al Pacino | Al Pacino |
| Vito Corleone | Marlon Brando | Robert De Niro (young Vito) | — |
| Kay Adams | Diane Keaton | Diane Keaton | Diane Keaton |
| Connie Corleone | Talia Shire | Talia Shire | Talia Shire |
| Sonny Corleone | James Caan | James Caan (brief appearance) | — |
| Fredo Corleone | John Cazale | John Cazale | — |
| Tom Hagen | Robert Duvall | Robert Duvall | — |
| Vincent Mancini | — | — | Andy Garcia |
| Mary Corleone | — | — | Sofia Coppola |
Brando won the Best Actor Oscar for Vito, and De Niro won for the same role in Part II, this time as Best Supporting Actor. The first film had three Best Supporting Actor nominees at once: Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall. Nino Rota wrote the music for the first two parts.
Where to watch The Godfather in Ukraine
As of November 9, 2026, MEGOGO offers The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and the 2020 version, which the service calls “Epilogue: The Death of Michael Corleone”, with its subscription; all three have Ukrainian audio. Netflix in Ukraine has the first two films with Ukrainian subtitles but no Ukrainian audio, rated 16+. The Netflix page for The Godfather Part III opens with a note that it is not available in your country.
Also: the series The Offer
Official trailer · “The Offer” (2022)If you are curious how the first film was made, watch the miniseries The Offer (2022) from Paramount+. Its ten episodes show producer Albert S. Ruddy (Miles Teller) and Coppola fighting studio resistance and Mafia pressure. And if you want more crime stories after the saga, see our list of shows like Peaky Blinders.
FAQ
How many Godfather movies are there?
Three films: from 1972, 1974 and 1990. Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone (2020) is a recut of Part III, not a fourth film.
In what order should I watch The Godfather?
In release order: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Godfather Part III or Coda instead. Save the chronological order for a rewatch.
How is Coda different from Part III?
It has a new opening and ending, re-edited scenes and different musical cues. It is shorter: 158 minutes versus 162 for the theatrical cut.
Will there be a fourth film?
None has been officially announced. According to Wikipedia, Coppola and Puzo discussed a fourth part, but after Puzo’s death in 1999 Coppola retired the series indefinitely.
Where can I watch The Godfather in Ukrainian?
On MEGOGO with a subscription: Parts I and II and Coda, with Ukrainian audio. Netflix in Ukraine has the first two films with Ukrainian subtitles.
Sources
- The Godfather (film series) (Wikipedia)
- The Godfather Part III (Wikipedia)
- The Godfather, film (Ukrainian Wikipedia)
- MEGOGO: The Godfather
- Netflix: The Godfather
Data was checked against live Wikipedia, MEGOGO and Netflix pages on November 9, 2026.
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