Francis Ford Coppola apologises for Hollywood trend he started with The Godfather

Coppola claims that Paramount Pictures ‘thought he was nuts’ when he suggested the name for ‘The Godfather Part II’

The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola has apologised for a Hollywood trend that he believes he started with his gangster film trilogy.

Coppola, who recently released his passion project, Megalopolis, his first movie in 13 years, which was greeted with applause and jeers when it premiered at Cannes.

The 85-year-old director has claimed that he accidentally started the sequels trend when making the first two Godfather films between 1972 and 1974.

The first part of the crime epic, starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando, was a massive success upon its release and Paramount Pictures was keen for him to make another film.

However, according to an interview with The Washington Post, Coppola said that he made certain demands which he thought would dissuade the studio from greenlighting the movie, such as calling it The Godfather Part II, inspired by the two-part Russian silent films, Ivan the Terrible.

Coppola says that the name suggestion was called “nuts” by the studio but they agreed to go ahead with it when he threatened to leave the project.

“So I’m the jerk that started numbers on movies,” says Coppola, “I’m embarrassed, and I apologise to everyone.”

Francis Ford Coppola (2024 Invision)

Earlier this year, Coppola made another admission about The Godfather.

Writing on Instagram, Coppola recalled: “Like every young aspiring film director, I dreamed of one day winning the Best Director Oscar and holding that statue in my hand.

“In 1973, when The Godfather was nominated, it seemed as if my dream was going to come true, because I had won the Director’s Guild award and usually the winner of that wins the Oscar. Only a few times before had that not happened (in 1968, DGA winner Anthony Harvey lost to Carol Reed).

“So when I went to the award ceremony that night, and witnessed the success of The Godfather with other awards, I felt it likely I would win.”

“I confess I was surprised when the winner was announced and it was not me, but Bob Fosse for Cabaret. At the time I was heartbroken and remember the owner of Paramount consoling me with, ‘Well Francis, you won the Bank of America award!’

Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in ‘The Godfather’ (1972) (Paramount Pictures)

Coppola concluded: “But reflecting now I must tell you the truth: I am glad that it was Bob Fosse, who certainly deserved it. What an extraordinarily talent and a sweet loveable man as well. His work is monumental, not only for Cabaret and later Lenny but for the extraordinary All That Jazz. As I look back on that time, I can honestly say I’m grateful I lost to such a man as Bob Fosse!”