The Godfather in order
Three films, watched in order. But the genuinely chronological version is not a reordering — it is a different edit.
Updated 4 August 2026 · 5 titles tracked
Watch The Godfather, then Part II, then — if you want it — Part III. That is the answer, and it is not complicated.
What *is* interesting is that The Godfather cannot be put in chronological order by reordering the films. Part II runs two timelines simultaneously, so no sequence of the three fixes it.
The Godfather films in order
The trilogy, plus the two alternate cuts worth knowing about.
- 1The Godfather1972 · The Trilogy · Essential
- 2The Godfather Part II1974 · The Trilogy · Essential
- 3The Godfather Part III1990 · The Trilogy
- 4The Godfather Epic1977 · Alternate Cuts
- 5The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone2020 · Alternate Cuts
Why chronological order needs a different cut
Part II intercuts two stories: Vito Corleone's rise from 1901 to 1917, and Michael's corruption in 1958–1959. The 1901 material is the earliest in the saga; the 1958 material is the latest until Part III. They are the same film.
So the only true chronological version is a re-edit. Coppola made one for television in 1977 — The Godfather Saga — splicing Parts I and II into strict order from 1901 forward. It was later reissued as The Godfather Epic.
It is a genuinely different experience: Vito's rise and Michael's fall stop rhyming against each other and become a straight family history. Most people prefer the original cut, and Coppola does too — the intercutting is the point.
Is Part III worth watching?
If you do, watch The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone — Coppola's 2020 re-edit. It changes the opening and, crucially, the ending, and it is a noticeably better film than the 1990 release.
Part III is still the weakest of the three by a distance. But Coda makes it a reasonable epilogue rather than an embarrassment.
The short answer
First watch: The Godfather, then The Godfather Part II. Stop there if you like — Part II ends the story with total finality.
Second watch: try The Godfather Epic, purely to see how differently the same material plays in order.
Common questions
What order should I watch The Godfather movies?
Release order: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, then The Godfather Part III. If you watch the third, use The Godfather Coda, Coppola's 2020 re-edit.
Can I watch The Godfather in chronological order?
Not by reordering the films. Part II intercuts 1901–1917 with 1958–1959, so chronological order requires a re-edit — Coppola's The Godfather Saga, later reissued as The Godfather Epic.
What is The Godfather Epic?
A re-edit of Parts I and II into strict chronological order, running from 1901 forward. Originally made for television in 1977 as The Godfather Saga.
Should I watch The Godfather Part III?
It is optional and much the weakest. If you do, watch The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, the 2020 re-edit with a different opening and ending.