Godfather III Gets a New Ending

The Godfather trilogy has a new ending—and if all goes well, you'll be able to see it in theaters this year. A newly restored and edited version of The Godfather: Part III, with a new beginning and ending as well as "rearranged" scenes, is to be released in theaters in December, and then on digital platforms, per a Thursday press release. Director Francis Ford Coppola and screenwriter Mario Puzo worked together on the re-release from Paramount Pictures—titled Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone—which encompasses their "original vision for the finale," per USA Today.

Coppola says the film "is an acknowledgement of Mario's and my preferred title and our original intentions for what became The Godfather: Part III." He adds that "with these changes and the restored footage and sound, to me, it is a more appropriate conclusion to The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II." The original—which Variety notes is maybe best known for Al Pacino's line, "Just when I thought I was out ... they pull me back in"—wasn't so bad, of course. Released 16 years after The Godfather: Part II, it was nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture and best director. The re-release is timed to honor the film's 30th anniversary. (More movies stories.)