Francis Ford Coppolaapologizes for his role in prompting an undesirable Hollywood trend. Considered a master of cinema, Coppola is behind some of the most notable works of the 20th century. Most significantly, he directed theGodfathertrilogy, which began withThe Godfatherin 1972 and continued withThe Godfather Part IIandThe Godfather Part IIIin 1974 and 1990, respectively. Other notable works by Coppola have included the war epicApocalypse Nowand the surveillance dramaThe Conversation. This year he directedMegalopolis, which has become one of 2024’s most notorious films.
Speaking withThe Washington Post,Coppola apologizes for a movie trend he inadvertently started. According to the director, he decided to tack on the “Part II” label to hisGodfathersequel after seeing Russian filmmakers do it with the movieIvan the Terrible. While the studios resisted at first, worrying that moviegoers would think the same movie had been released, Coppola stood his ground. Now, however, the auteur director has regrets saying “I’m embarrassed.” Check out the full quote from Coppola below:
“So I’m the jerk that started numbers on movies. I’m embarrassed, and I apologize to everyone.”
What Coppola’s Trend Means For Hollywood
The Part II Naming Convention Has Persisted
While there had been sequels beforeThe Godfather Part II, it is true that installments have been labeled like so more and more in recent years. Just this year alone saw the release of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi follow-up toDune, which was calledDune: Part Twoin a Coppola-style naming convention. Later cameGladiator II, which follows the “numbers on movies” trend, though does not have the “part” distinction. Next year will also see a notablePart IIwithWicked: Part II, the follow-up to this year’s hit musical movie.
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WhilePart 2’s have frustrated audiences, it is not just the naming convention that has been the source of ire. Ever since the finalHarry Potteradaptation wasreleased in two partswithHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1andHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, more andmore adaptation franchises have been breaking up their final installments. This makes sense for some films, but in other cases, it leaves audiences feeling like they are watching a whole movie just for setup, as is the case withThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, for example.
Our Take On The Part 2 Naming Convention
It Is The Studio Go-To
At the same time when so many films are tacking on aPart 2to their names, some blockbusters are notably straying away from the numbers convention. This was the case with bothTop Gun: MaverickandAvatar: The Way of Water, direct sequel movies that neglected to incorporate numbers or numerals in their monikers. It seems to me that these movies are the exception and not the rule, asCoppolais right that filmmakers and studios have become much more apt to use numbers in titles over the years.
The Godfather Part II
Cast
The Godfather Part II is a continuation of the Corleone crime family saga. The film explores Vito Corleone’s early life in Sicily and 1910s New York, while Michael Corleone navigates the 1950s, seeking to expand the family’s influence into Las Vegas, Hollywood, and Cuba. Released in 1974.
