The Godfather Part III

The Godfather Part III
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Francis Ford Coppola
Written by	Mario Puzo Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by	Francis Ford Coppola
Starring	Al Pacino Diane Keaton Talia Shire Andy García Eli Wallach Joe Mantegna Bridget Fonda George Hamilton Sofia Coppola
Cinematography	Gordon Willis
Edited by	Barry Malkin Lisa Fruchtman Walter Murch
Music by	Carmine Coppola
Production companies	Paramount Pictures Zoetrope Studios
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	December 20, 1990 (1990-12-20) (Beverly Hills) December 25, 1990 (1990-12-25) (United States)
Running time	162 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$54 million[2]
Box office	$136.9 million[2]

The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American epic crime 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 third and final installment in The Godfather trilogy. A sequel to The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), it concludes the fictional story of Michael Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family who attempts to legitimize his criminal empire. The film 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.

Though Coppola initially refused to return for a third film, he eventually signed on to direct and write Part III after his two previous directorial efforts were commercial failures. Coppola and Puzo's intended title for the film was The Death of Michael Corleone, which Paramount Pictures rejected; Coppola considers the series to be a duology, while Part III serves as the epilogue. Winona Ryder was initially cast in the role of Mary but eventually left production due to other commitments and nervous exhaustion. The role was ultimately given to Coppola's daughter, Sofia which 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 released in the United States on Christmas Day, December 25. The film received generally positive reviews. Critics praised Pacino's and Garcia's performances, the cinematography, the editing, the production design and Coppola's direction, but criticized the plot and the casting of Sofia Coppola. 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.