Skip to main content

A tome you can’t refuse: Francis Ford Coppola to publish ‘Godfather Notebook’

Iconic gangster film director Francis Ford Coppola will provide fans with an insider’s view of his most famous release, The Godfather, via a new 720-page book set to hit stores in November.

The new print-only publication will be called The Godfather Notebook, and will share in detail the creative process that went into the filmmaker’s genre-defining work. Featuring casting notes, never-before seen photos, and a personal introduction written by Coppola himself, The Godfather Notebook will be an essential addition to every film nerd’s hardback collection.

Recommended Videos

The book will sell for $50 when it lands on shelves November 15, with a limited number of signed copies available for $250 from publisher Regan Arts.

“This notebook was my private work reference to The Godfather film, and after many years, I’m excited to share it with those who may be interested,” Coppola said to Rolling Stone. “It is the key to understanding what went into making the film from Mario Puzo’s novel.”

The annotated pages of Mario Puzo’s original Godfather book, which Coppola used extensively in his direction of his screenplay, are perhaps the most significant aspect of the new written work.

For his efforts, Coppola earned Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Director after the film first hit screens in 1972. The Godfather immediately made him one of the most in-demand creators in Hollywood.

The famed director’s legacy has been cemented in the work of his two surviving children: Both his son, Roman, and daughter, Sophia, have been nominated for Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, with Sofia Coppola winning for Lost In Translation (she was also nominated for Best Director for the same film).

Given the amazing success of both Coppola and his family in the world of cinema, the ability to read personal annotations and scripts, as well as other handwritten notes in the new book, should prove especially interesting to filmmakers themselves. In fact, we’d be surprised if most of those signed copies don’t end up on famed artists’ coffee tables in Hollywood.

Parker Hall
Former Senior Writer, Home Theater/Music
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
Furiosa is a sci-fi movie you must watch on Netflix before it’s too late
Tom Burke stands between Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."

After making three Mad Max movies in the '80s, George Miller's iconic dystopian franchise went on a 30-year hiatus. The wait was worth it because the next entry, Mad Max: Fury Road, became one of the best action movies of the 21st century. Thankfully, Miller only waited nine years for his next Mad Max adventure, Furiosa.

Thanks to a licensing agreement, Furiosa is now available to stream on Netflix. It won't be here forever, though, as it leaves the service at the end of the month. Furiosa is one of our five sci-fi movies to watch this July. Check out all of our picks below.

Read more
Death Valley is one of 3 great Britbox shows you should watch in July 2025
An old man and a young woman look at photos in Death Valley.

If you're tired of American television and the lack of sophistication that stems from many U.S. shows, BritBox might be the answer to your prayers. While it's true that Brits are inherently more sophisticated than their American counterparts, their TV tends to be a bit more refined.

If you have a BritBox subscription but aren't sure exactly what to do with it, we've got you covered. We've pulled together a list of three great shows that are the perfect entry point if you're looking for something great on BritBox:

Read more
Admit it — You still love Stranger Things, and the season 5 teaser trailer is awesome
A group of teens look down as one holds a chainsaw.

It's easy to poke fun at Stranger Things because of how long it's taken to reach the end. When season 5 concludes later this year, the Netflix series will have produced 42 episodes of television in just under 10 years. For comparison, The X-Files released roughly 200 episodes in under nine years. The pandemic and strikes are legitimate reasons for the delays, but the long hiatuses for Stranger Things have been frustrating for fans, to the point where some are questioning if they'll even care about the final season.

After watching the season 5 teaser trailer, all the feelings of resentment have been replaced with excitement. The teaser looks awesome, and I can't wait for the show's final run this fall.

Read more