The Greatest Movie Trilogy Of All Time Is Being Removed From Prime Video In Just 3 Days
August is a freelance film writer. She studied journalism and cinema at American University. She is a member of the journalism honor society, Kappa Tau Alpha. August has written for various networks and publications, including PBS, Gargoyle Magazine, TheThings, and Identity Theory Magazine. Before returning to entertainment writing, August worked in the Automotive section of U.S. News & World Report. In her free time, August enjoys watching movies in theaters, watching movies at home, listening to podcasts about movies, reading books about movies, watching video essays on movies, talking about movies, thinking about movies, and doing crosswords.
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy changed cinema forever. Over 50 years after the first films’ release, the saga continues to influence filmmakers across genres.
Based on Mario Puzo's 1969 novel, the three Godfather movies follow the climactic ascent and descent of the towering Corleone crime family. The 1972 original introduces Marlon Brando’s iconic Don Vito Corleone at the helm of the Corleone family. The film was esteemed at the time of its release, and has only grown in notoriety in the decades since.
Released in 1974, The Godfather Part II matches, if not exceeds, the excellence of its predecessor. The longest film in the trilogy at 202 minutes, this epic simultaneously retells Vito’s early life and follows Al Pacino’s Michael as he attempts to expand his father’s “business.” While the sequel elevates the franchise, the Corleones' story comes to an unsatisfying conclusion with The Godfather Part III in 1990. However, Coppola fixed the disappointing third installment in 2020, leaving three near-perfect and must-watch movies.
The Godfather currently stands as one of the greatest and most highly acclaimed movie trilogies of all time. Fans due for a rewatch or viewers who have yet to check this trilogy off their watchlist should binge these films on Prime Video now. By the end of October, the trilogy exits Prime Video and disappears into the streaming void.
The Godfather Parts 1 & 2 Are Still Untouchable Crime Movie Masterpieces
No two crime films have yet to match the towering legacy of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. The films are at once gangster flicks, action films, melodramas, and feats of dramatic realism. Together, these acclaimed films are a masterclass in narrative and visual storytelling. Though they run 377 minutes put together, the two films whiz by thanks to perfect pacing and unbeatable performances from an all-star cast.
The Godfather seemed untouchable following its lauded release. The film was well-received by critics and redefined cinema in 1972. It received ten nominations at the 1973 Academy Awards and three wins, including Best Picture. The 1974 sequel changed everything. It rivaled the first film's excellence and elevated the entire franchise to a new level of greatness. The multi-generational epic enamored critics and audiences alike. It swept the 1975 Academy Awards, receiving 11 nominations and six wins, including Best Picture.
Together, The Godfather I and II are nearly unbeatable classics and the gold standard for modern filmmaking. The pair continue to directly and indirectly influence filmmakers today. Most recently, the sequel inspired dialogue in DC Studio’s 2026 blockbuster Clayface.
The Godfather Is The Only Trilogy With Two All-Time Best Movies
There are plenty of movies that match or rival The Godfather Part I and II as standalone movies. However, few-to-none can compete with them as a duo. Coppola’s is the only trilogy to have two films consistently fall in rankings of the top 50 movies ever made.
The Godfather tends to land within the top five best movies of all time, as it introduced the world to Coppola’s crime masterpiece. It is, perhaps, the most competent standalone film of the bunch. The Godfather Part II can stand alone but works best in conjunction with its predecessor. As such, this masterful sequel generally falls above the top 40 best movies of all time, but below the top ten.
On AFI’s 100 YEARS...100 MOVIES list, The Godfather sits impressively at number two while the sequel snags spot 32. These beloved crime movies fair even better on the Rotten Tomatoes’ Best Movies of All Time list. Here, The Godfather holds the coveted number one spot, with a 97% score. Meanwhile, The Godfather Part II sits at number 28, with a solid 96%.
While the follow-up film tends to trail significantly behind the first Godfather, the duo remain the only trilogy installments to both occupy top spots on major G.O.A.T. movie lists. Generally, a solid sequel does not detract from its original, at best. In the cast of The Godfather, the sequel achieved its own reputation as one of the best movies of all time.
The Godfather 3 Was Fixed This Decade To Make The Trilogy Better
Following the success of the first two films, Coppola reluctantly returned to helm The Godfather Part III in 1990. The product was a critical and popular disappointment that nearly marred the legacy of his franchise. It lacked the sharp purpose, feeling, and soul of the first two films.
30 years later, Coppola released a recut of the third film that may have saved the saga. “The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, provides an entirely new experience… I created a new beginning and ending… the picture has been give new life," reads a message from Coppola at the start of the 2020 film.
The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, repositions the third film as a distinct epilogue to the other movies. Whereas the '90s edit read as more of a wobbly continuation. The director’s edits add a sense of purpose to the formally aimless third installment. Though adjusted three decades later, the final film feels more tonally cohesive with the 1970s originals than ever before.
This recut has a solid 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to the first version’s middling 68%. Following Coppola’s recent adjustments to the final installment, The Godfather Trilogy now stands proudly as one of the best trilogies ever made.
The Godfather Trilogy's Streaming Exit Confirmed
As October draws to a close, it is time for the monthly streaming service shuffle. That is the time when flicks exit and enter disparate services as licensing agreements expire. This month brings bad luck for Prime Video subscribers, as the full Godfather trilogy will be exiting the streamer after October 31.
By the start of November, Prime subscribers must venture over to Paramount+ to stream Coppola’s cinematic masterpieces. For those who do not have Paramount+, rentals will be the only way to watch the trilogy without advertisements—as Copoolas intended it to be seen.
While viewers can still access The Godfather through Paramount+, the trilogies’ Prime exit acts as a perfect reminder to revisit these cinematic masterpieces. Prime Video subscribers who have about nine hours on their hands over the next three days should embark on an epic rewatch of Coppola’s astounding Godfather trilogy.
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