4K Ultra HD, Digital Release: The Godfather Trilogy

4K Ultra HD Release Date: March 22, 2022
Price: 4K Ultra HD/Digital $79.19
Studio: Paramount


In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award-winning masterwork The Godfather, Paramount Pictures has released all three films in the epic trilogy on 4K Ultra HD for the first time ever, with all the films having been restored under the direction of Coppola.

In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the first film’s original release on March 24, 1972, Paramount and Coppola’s production company American Zoetrope undertook a painstaking restoration of all three films over the course of three years.  Restoration technology has advanced dramatically since 2007 when the last restoration was completed by eminent film historian and preservationist Robert Harris.

The effort included the following:

  • Over 300 cartons of film were scrutinized to find the best possible resolution for every frame of all three films.
  • Over 4,000 hours were spent repairing film stains, tears, and other anomalies in the negatives.
  • Over 1,000 hours were spent on rigorous color correction to ensure the high dynamic range tools were respectful of the original vision of Coppola and cinematographer Gordon Willis.
  • In addition to the 5.1 audio approved by Walter Murch in 2007, the original mono tracks on
    The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II have been restored.
  • All work was overseen by Coppola.

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray set includes The GodfatherThe Godfather: Part II, and Coppola’s recently re-edited version of the final film, Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.  The disc set includes legacy commentaries by Coppola, as well as access to Digital copies of The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II and Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.

NEW BONUS CONTENT:

  • Introduction to The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola 
  • Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather—Paramount Pictures archivists detail the incredible restoration process with archival footage showing the evolution of the film through various home entertainment incarnations as picture and audio technologies make quantum leaps over the decades.
  • Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro— In this reflective and frank discussion, special photographer Steve Schapiro shares his unique perspective and cherished memories as a witness to the making of this seminal film.  Commentary on curated archival images makes for a fascinating, never-before-seen addition to the production’s history.
  • The Godfather:Home Movies— An assortment of 8mm home movie footage shot in 1971 offers a candid glimpse into the production of The Godfather.  Shot on location at the Norton family estate on Staten Island’s Emerson Hill, this is the first time it’s been made available to the public.
  • Restoration Comparisons—Before and after highlights showcase extensive picture quality improvements to The Godfather.
Buy or Rent The Godfather Trilogy

About Laurence

Founder and editor Laurence Lerman saw Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest when he was 13 years old and that’s all it took. He has been writing about film and video for more than a quarter of a century for magazines, anthologies, websites and most recently, Video Business magazine, where he served as the Reviews Editor for 15 years.