Cinephiles already know that Francis Ford Coppola‘s 1972 epic “The Godfather” is essential in the New Hollywood canon. The film launched Coppola and Al Pacino into superstardom and revitalized Marlon Brando‘s career. Critics still herald the movie and its 1974 sequel as two of the best films of all time to this day.
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However, what some cinephiles don’t know is the backstory of how “The Godfather” was made (or nearly didn’t get made) in the first place. “The Offer,” a new mini-series coming to Paramount+ this spring, takes a look at the tumultuous saga producer Albert S. Ruddy endured to get Coppola’s picture finished. From studio execs to organized crime figures, Ruddy’s countless adversaries make the behind-the-scenes drama as harrowing as “The Godfather” itself.
Miles Teller leads the colossal ensemble of “The Offer” as Ruddy. Matthew Goode also stars as legendary Paramount head Robert Evans. Giovanni Ribisi plays crime boss Joe Colombo and Dan Fogler co-stars Coppola. Colin Hanks, Juno Temple, and Burn Gorman round out the main cast.
The supporting cast for “The Offer” is just as intriguing. Justin Chambers plays Marlon Brando, Anthony Ippolito is Al Pacino, Frank John Hughes is Frank Sinatra, and Patrick Gallo cameos as “The Godfather” novelist Mario Puzo. This list could go on ad infinitum, but Michael Gandolfini, Eric Balfour, and Lou Ferrigno are also on board.
Michael Tolkin, best known for his 1992 screenplay adaptation of his novel “The Player,” pens “The Offer.” That’s an excellent choice for this Hollywood tale. Dexter Fletcher, director of 2019’s “Rocketman,” is behind the camera for several episodes.
Between “1883,” “Halo,” and this mini-series, Paramount+ has a stacked calendar of titles for 2022. So: will “The Offer” help the streaming service vie against the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime? Find out on April 22, when the series premieres exclusively on Paramount+.