- The VHS release is called "Final Director's Cut", features 8 minutes of additional and alternate footage not included in theatrical version and has been the version released on all subsequent home media and television releases, until the 2020 "Coda" version. The theatricals version was released in certain non USA countries on VHS and DVD, but never on Blu Ray or 4K until the 2022 Godfather 50th anniversary box set. The changes mostly consist of additional footage, but some alternate footage and dialogue in select scenes. Full set of changes are as follows: -New scene of Don Altabello giving to the Vito Andolini foundation (1.5m). -There is an added scene in Michael's party of the Arch Bishop and Bj talking (30s). -New scene of Michael and George Hamilton at breakfast; then Andrew Hagen enters and speaks with Michael (1m 18s). -New establishing shot of the church before Michael and the Arch Bishops meeting (7s, this is the opening shot of the 'Coda version') -New scene of Mary questioning Michael's motives on the rooftop (1m 30s). -Alternate take of Altabello leaving the Chinese restaurant before entering Michael's car (-3s) -Two medium close-ups shots of Mary and Vincent added to the scene where they make gnocchi (8s). -New dialogue is added to Michael reprimanding Vincent, Connie, and Neri (30s). -Alternate dialogue in the scene where Mary is being told to not date Vincent, by Mary. Then additional dialogue is given to Michael and Anthony (10s).
- New scene of Michael giving Anthony the drawing form part II (32s).
- The version shown on the Bravo network in 2007 and the AMC network features a montage of clips from the first two Godfather films before the opening credits. Deleted footage of Michael sitting alone contemplatively from Part II is interspersed throughout the montage.
- The DVD release features an alternate beginning as a special feature which features an extended version of the meeting between Michael and the Archbishop.
- In conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the release of the original version, a new and shorter 158-minute version of the movie was reedited and reissued by Francis Ford Coppola under the original intended title Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. Coppola calls it his definitive and intended version acting as a proper epilogue instead of a sequel. The breakdown of changes are as follows:
- Alternate opening: The meeting between Michael and Archbishop Gilday, originally at the start of the second act is now put at the start. It is the same abridged version as it was previously before proceeding to the hotel party sequence. The first-half of Michael's voice over letter to Anthony and Mary has been removed ("My dear children, it has been several years since I moved to New York...). As a result of the new opening, the Lake Tahoe flashback and Michael's papal honor ceremony in the original version have been removed entirely.
- Two more scenes from the original version have been removed as it was deemed superfluous; the chapel scene with Vincent, Al Neri and Connie and then the meeting between Michael and Oswaldo Altobello in his medical ward.
- In the hotel party sequence, the end of the singing by Connie and Abbadando whistling is replaced with more shots of Michael at the banquet table so that the focus is more on him.
- To make clear of Michael's diabetes condition, Connie now exclaims "Michael. No, it's his diabetes!!" when he suffers his seizure.
- The killing of Lucchesi by Calo is now shown much more bloodied and in full as it was intended.
- Snippets removed from the New York shareholders press conference: A line by Michael (...."helping your fellow man is profitable in every sense, personally and bottom line."); a committee member's disagreement ("The Hamilton Group cannot support this proposal!"); and the Archbishop's pronouncement. Some of the shots in the original version of the scene have been shifted in the new cut.
- The first part of Mary and Michael's rooftop meeting after the shareholder's press conference is omitted ("Tony says I'm a front for the foundation, that you're using me to pull the strings..").
- The beginning of Michael and Oswaldo's meeting in the limousine is omitted ( "As your family's oldest friend, I'm always chosen..."), and goes straight to point.
- In the Atlantic City massacre, Oswaldo's Italian expression before he leaves ("He doesn't know what he's"...) and Don Cuneo's death were omitted.
- The garden conversation between Michael, Mary and Anthony now ends abruptly. After Michael demands her to obey him, she now says "I can't!".
- After Vincent has been introduced to Lucchesi by Altobello, it immediately goes to Michael's meeting with Cardinal Lamberto. A remark by Altobello followed by Don Tomassino being helped out of the car has been removed.
- The second-half of Oswaldo's meeting with Mosca the assassin ending with a toast has been removed. ("It's dangerous. A famous man. You'll have to take precautions..")
- The first-half of Michael's soliloquy about Tommasino following his assassination has been removed. ("You could have lived a little longer. I could be closer to my dream...")
- When Vincent is persuaded by Connie to take over Michael it ends earlier. Originally, he kisses her hand as to seal the agreement.
- Some of the silent moments of Michael have been shortened when he finally hands over his reigns to Vincent including a line by him "You look pale. Bad news? Tell me right away."
- At the end of the opera, three snippets have been removed: Vincent complementing Anthony for his performance, Mary confronting Michael one last time ("Dad, why are you doing this to me!"), and then Spara's distraction to allow Mosca to attempt his shot on Michael.
- Alternate ending: Coppola stated in an interview that he wanted the new ending to be more heartbreaking. Here, old Michael doesn't die physically as shown in the original version's ending. The flashback removes Michael's dancing with Apollonia and Kay. He merely puts on his sunglasses and then a Sicilian proverb card simply closes the film: "When the Sicilians wish you 'Cent'anni', it means 'to a long life'... and a Sicilian never forgets."
- A The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 was released on VHS. This release had all three of the movies put into chronological order and had extra scenes added to each of them. (Scenes not in the theatrical cut). This version was also the stand alone home media release of the film.
- The "Coda" version has a short (about 1.5 minute) introduction from director Francis Ford Coppola before any credits, explaining the reason for this re-cut as intending to return to the original intent.
- There is apparently a different beginning for the version aired on USA network, which shows Michael (Al Pacino) sitting in a garden on a bench, wearing a fedora and a pair of sunglasses. He is on the right side of the screen, and the opening title dissolves in on the left. The voiceover of his letter to Mary and Anthony begins at this point.
- Two additional scenes have known to have been added to the USA network version during its Godfather trilogy and Saga showings in the late 1990s:
- Don Altobello hands Michael and Constance an expensive check for the Vito Corleone Foundation, and Altobello declares lifetime peace between the two familes. All three embrace each other.
- A brief exchange between B.J and the Archbishop is seen during the party sequence. The Archbishop snaps softly at B.J "We had a deal!" B.J half-chuckles and says "Of course, how do you think I got all this grey hair." This scene hints early on the wrongdoings of the Archbishop, which isn't revealed until later in the theatrical version.
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