Often hailed as one of the greatest movies ever made, The Godfather, originally released in 1972, won three Academy Awards, including best picture and best screenplay.
It follows the rise and downfall of New York Italian crime family, the Corleones, and features standout performances by Marlon Bradno, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro.
In celebration of the work, Paramount Pictures announced today that the film will have a limited theatrical release beginning February 25, 2022 exclusively in Dolby Cinema at AMC Theatres, in the U.S. and internationally. All three films have been restored in 4K Ultra HD, and will be available "for the first time ever" on March 22, 2022.
Paramount also revealed the restoration in the trailer promoting the event, where audiences can get a look at the crisp new visuals. They released the details on the process, and what steps were taken to enhance the footage:
-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 he Godfather and The Godfather: Part II have been restored.
-All work was overseen by Coppola.
Paramount Archives senior vice president, Andrea Kalas, spoke on what it meant for the company to undertake this project.
"We felt privileged to restore these films and a little in awe every day we worked on them."
The Godfather trilogy is based off screenwriter Mario Puzo's novel, and jumpstarted director Francis Ford Coppola's career. Coppola shared his pride in the project, and his excitement for its release.
“I am very proud of The Godfather, which certainly defined the first third of my creative life. [...] It’s also gratifying to celebrate this milestone with Paramount alongside the wonderful fans who’ve loved it for decades, younger generations who still find it relevant today, and those who will discover it for the first time."
The remastered movie will be available to watch in AMC theaters February 25.
