The Godfather is considered one of the greatest American movies ever made, but it's the story behind the making of the classic that is the subject of The Offer, a limited series streaming on Paramount Plus. Fitting, considering 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1972 movie (which got a re-release in movie theaters in February).
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Talia Shire and John Cazale, The Godfather took the world by storm when it was initially released. It eventually would win Best Picture at the Oscars and Best Actor for Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone (which he famously did not accept). In hindsight, it’s easy to see how all those pieces came together and made a great movie, but as The Offer depicts, that wasn’t the case when they were putting everything together.
The history of The Godfather is a rich one, so much so that you could probably make a movie covering all three movies in the family saga. But The Offer sticks to the original movie as its focus.
Will The Offer be something that viewers can’t refuse? Here is everything we know about the Paramount Plus series about The Godfather.
The Offer plot
There have been many stories about the making of The Godfather shared over the years, whether it was in books like producer Robert Evans’ The Kid Stays in the Picture or Vanity Fair writer Mark Seal’s Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli.
The Offer, however, is based on producer Albert S. Ruddy’s "never-before-seen experiences" in making The Godfather. As you’ll see in the trailer below, there’s a lot going on...
The Offer trailer
The official trailer for The Offer gives a cut-down version of the chaos behind the making of The Godfather — considered to be one of the greatest movies ever. From Al Ruddy signing on to produce, despite not having read the book, to threats from powerful gangsters and all the other chaos that ensued. Check it out for yourself below:
Paramount Plus also released a teaser trailer for the series:
The Offer cast
The cast of The Godfather is one of its most incredible features, but the cast for The Offer offers a pretty solid collection of actors as well.
Leading the way on The Offer is Miles Teller as Albert S. Ruddy. His casting was announced in May 2021, as a replacement for Armie Hammer. Teller is best known for his roles in Whiplash, The Divergent series and his role as Rooster in the highly-anticipated sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Also starring in the limited series are:
- Matthew Goode (A Discovery of Witches, Downton Abbey) as producer Robert Evans
- Juno Temple (Ted Lasso) as Hollywood agent Bettye McCartt
- Giovanni Ribisi (Sneaky Pete, Avatar) as notorious mobster Joe Colombo
- Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts series) as director Francis Ford Coppola
- Burn Gorman (The Expanse, Torchwood, Enola Holmes) as Gulf + Western owner Charles Bluhdorn
- Colin Hanks (American Crime Story, Jumanji: The Next Level) as Gulf + Western executive Barry Lapidus
- Patrick Gallo (The Irishman, When They See Us) as The Godfather author Mario Puzo.
In addition, many members of the famous cast and other well-known celebrities will be part of the story of The Offer. This includes Justin Chambers playing Marlon Brando, Anthony Ippolito as Al Pacino, Brandon Sklenar as Burt Reynolds, Jean Watts as Ann Margaret, Kyleen Likas as Raquel Welch and Frank John Hughes as Frank Sinatra.
Get more information on the talented The Offer cast.
The Offer episodes guide
Here are the official synopses for all the episodes of The Offer:
The Offer episode 1, "A Seat at the Table"
"After ditching his job at the Rand Corporation for a shot in Hollywood, Al Ruddy wins the job to produce Mario Puzo’s bestselling novel, The Godfather for Paramount Pictures. Joe Colombo, a rising crime boss in the New York City Mafia, has a darker fate in mind for the picture." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 1 right here.
The Offer episode 2, "Warning Shots"
"With Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo penning the script, Al Ruddy and Bettye McCartt confront an ever-growing list of opposition to The Godfather, including Frank Sinatra, LA Gangster Mickey Cohen and the Colombo led Italian-American Civil Rights League. Meanwhile, Robert Evans and Gulf & Western’s Barry Lapidus lock horns over the creative direction of Paramount Pictures. Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 2 right here.
The Offer episode 3, "Fade In"
"Pressure mounts for the scripts’ delivery after Ruddy is forced to sit down with Joe Colombo and Evans finds himself navigating hot waters with Gulf & Western’s CEO Charlie Bluhdorn. Meanwhile, Bluhdorn takes an interest in Bettye." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 3 right here.
The Offer episode 4, "The Right Shade of Yellow"
"With Marlon Brando and Al Pacino in contention for leading roles in The Godfather, Ruddy is caught in the line of fire between Evans and Coppola and must pick a side. After gaining Joe Colombo’s support, Ruddy gets an uncomfortable glimpse of his new friend’s loyalty. The rising stakes surrounding The Godfather continues to strain Ruddy’s relationship with Francoise." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 4 right here.
The Offer episode 5, "Kiss the Ring"
"Ruddy and Bettye combat logistical nightmares with principal photography quickly approaching. As the Mob continues to ingrain itself in the making of the film, tensions rise between Colombo and notorious hot head Crazy Joe Gallo." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 5 right here.
The Offer episode 6, "A Stand Up Guy"
"Ruddy deals with the fallout from the disastrous press conference while Evans creates a plan to save Paramount. Bettye takes action as the first day of filming is compromised due to collisions with Gulf & Western, Paramount and the Mafia." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 6 right here.
The Offer episode 7, "Mr. Producer"
"Dissatisfied with the footage, Barry Lapidus orchestrates a potential coup as Ruddy initiates a bold plan to save both Coppola and Pacino’s jobs. Crime boss Carlo Gambino questions Colombo’s leadership as he holds another large Italian-American Civil Rights League rally." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 7 right here.
The Offer episode 8, "Crossing That Line"
"In the bloody aftermath of the Italian-American Civil Rights League rally, Gallo threatens The Godfather’s production budget as Ruddy struggles to protect the funding for Sicily. Evans continues to spiral after the breakup of his marriage with Ali MacGraw, allowing Barry Lapidus to capitalize." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 8 right here.
The Offer episode 9, "It's Who We Are"
"As the production contends with the challenges of filming in Sicily, Ruddy leaves early to help get Evans back on track. Post-production disputes with Lapidus threaten Coppola’s vision for the edit and Bettye starts to think about her next move." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 9 right here.
The Offer episode 10, "Brains and Balls"
"The Godfather is released to rave reviews and box office records. Drama unfolds at the 45th Academy Awards." Find out what was fact and what was fiction in The Offer episode 10 right here.
How to watch The Offer
All episodes of The Offer are now available to stream exclusively on Paramount Plus in the US and available from June 22 on Paramount Plus UK.
