Later this month, Paramount+ will debut The Offer, a new miniseries that will dramatize the making of a cinematic classic, 1972’s The Godfather. But this is more than just a tale of Hollywood intrigue. The show is based upon the account of producer Albert S. Ruddy, and the unexpected challenges he faced when he tried to bring Mario Puzo’s novel to the big screen. There was pushback, unexpected complications, and even some genuine danger.
Ahead of the series premiere, Paramount+ has released a few preview scenes from The Offer. In the first clip, Albert (Miles Teller) frets about how he will pitch The Godfather to the studio chief at Paramount. Fortunately, Bettye McCartt (Juno Temple) appears to have good insight on how to communicate with Albert’s target audience.
Chronologically, the next clip takes us inside Paramount itself after Albert’s pitch. Charlie Bluhdorn (Burn Gorman) needs some convincing, but Bob Evans (Matthew Goode) knows that The Godfather can be a cultural phenomenon with the right director. As for Barry Lapidus (Colin Hanks), he has a more pragmatic perspective to bring to the table.
Speaking of the director, the third preview scene features the man who was ultimately chosen for the job: Francis Ford Coppola (Dan Fogler). And it’s easy to see why Francis was chosen during his conversation with novelist Mario Puzo (Patrick Gallo). Francis understands the story on such an intimate level that even Mario is excited about what he can bring to the film.
Finally, we come to a meeting that Albert would rather have avoided. Mafia boss Joe Colombo (Giovanni Ribisi) has summoned Albert to prevent him from making The Godfather at all. Apparently, the mafia is worried about its portrayal in the eventual film. But this is Albert’s chance to potentially assuage their fears.
The Offer was written by Michael Tolkin (among many others) and directed by Dexter Fletcher. The first three episodes will premiere on Paramount+ on Thursday, April 28. The remaining seven episodes will be released weekly.
