What is The Godfather: Part II?

The Godfather: Part II , released in 1974, is a gangster film and a sequel to the 1972 film, The Godfather . Many consider the sequel to be as good as, or even better than, the original film . The film tells two stories, one of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) after he becomes head of the Corleone family, and the other of his father, Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) as a young man. The story of Michael involves betrayal and paranoia as he navigates assassination attempts and government investigations. The story of Vito follows his arrival in New York City and his rise to power within the Mafia. The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture.

Who directed The Godfather: Part II?

The Godfather: Part II , released in 1974, was directed and co-written by Francis Ford Coppola . The film is both a sequel and a companion piece to The Godfather . Coppola collaborated with Mario Puzo to create the story of Michael Corleone's journey in the film. The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture.

What story does The Godfather: Part II tell?

The Godfather: Part II intertwines two narratives: Michael Corleone's expansion of the family's criminal empire in the 1950s and Vito Corleone's early life as a young immigrant in New York City in the early 1900s. Michael aims to solidify his power in Las Vegas and Havana, but faces betrayal and government investigations. Vito rises through the criminal ranks, gaining respect and power while remaining devoted to his family. Ultimately, Michael's pursuit of power leads to his isolation, as he loses his family and humanity. The film explores themes of ambition, family, and the immigrant experience in America. The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture .

How does The Godfather: Part II connect to the first movie, The Godfather?

The Godfather: Part II , released in 1974, serves as both a sequel and a companion piece to the original 1972 film, The Godfather . The sequel enriches the original film by moving forward and backward in time to bookend the events of The Godfather with contrapuntal stories. The film juxtaposes two narratives: Michael Corleone's story after he becomes the head of the Corleone family, seeking to expand his influence, and the story of his father, Vito Corleone, as a young man who rises to become the don of his own crime family after immigrating from Italy. The story of Michael shows his journey into soullessness.

Who are the main characters in The Godfather: Part II?

The Godfather: Part II , a sequel to the 1972 film, explores two stories, one of Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, after he becomes head of the Corleone family, and the other of his father, Vito Corleone, as a young man, portrayed by Robert De Niro. Other main characters include Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), Kay Corleone (Diane Keaton), Fredo Corleone (John Cazale), Connie Corleone (Talia Shire), Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg), and Frankie Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo). The film follows Michael's journey into betrayal and deceit, as well as Vito's rise to power, adapted from the novel The Godfather .

Why is The Godfather: Part II considered an important film in movie history?

The Godfather: Part II is considered an important film in movie history because it was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture . It is regarded as a rare sequel that equals or perhaps surpasses the original The Godfather . The film juxtaposes two stories: Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) after he becomes head of the Corleone family, and Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) as a young man. The film made explicit the immigrant struggle for survival in America that was at the root of the first Godfather .

The Godfather: Part II

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Francis Ford Coppola, with a beard, sits on a camera dolly surrounded by crew and actors on the set of The Godfather: Part II, with storefronts in the background.

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Awards And Honors:: Academy Award (1975)

On the Web:: AFI Catalog - The Godfather Part II (1974) (Oct. 17, 2026)

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The Godfather: Part II

film by Coppola [1974]

Written by

Patricia Bauer

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 17, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is The Godfather: Part II?
The Godfather: Part II, released in 1974, is a gangster film and a sequel to the 1972 film, The Godfather. Many consider the sequel to be as good as, or even better than, the original film.

The film tells two stories, one of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) after he becomes head of the Corleone family, and the other of his father, Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) as a young man. The story of Michael involves betrayal and paranoia as he navigates assassination attempts and government investigations. The story of Vito follows his arrival in New York City and his rise to power within the Mafia.

The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who directed The Godfather: Part II?
The Godfather: Part II, released in 1974, was directed and co-written by Francis Ford Coppola. The film is both a sequel and a companion piece to The Godfather.

Coppola collaborated with Mario Puzo to create the story of Michael Corleone's journey in the film. The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What story does The Godfather: Part II tell?
The Godfather: Part II intertwines two narratives: Michael Corleone's expansion of the family's criminal empire in the 1950s and Vito Corleone's early life as a young immigrant in New York City in the early 1900s.

Michael aims to solidify his power in Las Vegas and Havana, but faces betrayal and government investigations. Vito rises through the criminal ranks, gaining respect and power while remaining devoted to his family. Ultimately, Michael's pursuit of power leads to his isolation, as he loses his family and humanity.

The film explores themes of ambition, family, and the immigrant experience in America. The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does The Godfather: Part II connect to the first movie, The Godfather?
The Godfather: Part II, released in 1974, serves as both a sequel and a companion piece to the original 1972 film, The Godfather. The sequel enriches the original film by moving forward and backward in time to bookend the events of The Godfather with contrapuntal stories.

The film juxtaposes two narratives: Michael Corleone's story after he becomes the head of the Corleone family, seeking to expand his influence, and the story of his father, Vito Corleone, as a young man who rises to become the don of his own crime family after immigrating from Italy. The story of Michael shows his journey into soullessness.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who are the main characters in The Godfather: Part II?
The Godfather: Part II, a sequel to the 1972 film, explores two stories, one of Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, after he becomes head of the Corleone family, and the other of his father, Vito Corleone, as a young man, portrayed by Robert De Niro.

Other main characters include Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), Kay Corleone (Diane Keaton), Fredo Corleone (John Cazale), Connie Corleone (Talia Shire), Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg), and Frankie Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo).

The film follows Michael's journey into betrayal and deceit, as well as Vito's rise to power, adapted from the novel The Godfather.
2 Britannica Sources
1. The Godfather: Part II
2. The Godfather: Plot
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why is The Godfather: Part II considered an important film in movie history?
The Godfather: Part II is considered an important film in movie history because it was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture. It is regarded as a rare sequel that equals or perhaps surpasses the original The Godfather. The film juxtaposes two stories: Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) after he becomes head of the Corleone family, and Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) as a young man. The film made explicit the immigrant struggle for survival in America that was at the root of the first Godfather.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The Godfather: Part II, American gangster film, released in 1974, that was a sequel and companion piece to the 1972 blockbuster The Godfather, adapted from the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. In the years since its release the film has gained the reputation of being the rare sequel that equals or perhaps surpasses the original.

The Godfather: Part II juxtaposes two stories: that of Michael Corleone (played, as in The Godfather, by Al Pacino) in the years after he becomes head of the Corleone family business and that of his father, Vito Corleone, as a young man (portrayed by Robert De Niro). In the former storyline, set in the 1950s, Michael has moved the family and his base of operations to Nevada, seeking to expand his influence into Las Vegas and also into Havana. The other storyline shows Vito first as a child arriving in New York City in the early 1900s after his family in Sicily was killed by the local Mafia. As a young man, he is introduced into criminal activity by his friend Clemenza (Bruno Kirby), beginning with thievery. When a neighborhood crime boss (Gastone Moschin) demands a cut of Vito’s profits, however, Vito murders him. Vito gains more power and respect while retaining his devotion to family. In the other narrative, Michael turns down a request from Frankie Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo) to approve a hit in New York City, because it would interfere with business with Jewish crime kingpin Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg). Michael’s story then becomes one of betrayal, deceit, and paranoia. He is targeted by assassination attempts and government investigations. His wife (Diane Keaton) leaves him, his brother Fredo (John Cazale) turns against him, and he ceases to trust the consigliere Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall). In the end, Michael is left alone, having lost his family and his essential humanity.

The part of the film dealing with Vito Corleone’s rise to become the don of his own crime family was adapted from the novel The Godfather, but Puzo and cowriter and director Francis Ford Coppola created the story of Michael’s journey into soullessness for the movie. Most actors from The Godfather returned in their original roles, including Talia Shire as Connie Corleone, but Strasberg, a renowned acting teacher, made his film debut in the movie. The Godfather: Part II was the first sequel to win an Academy Award for best picture. De Niro, whose dialogue in the film was almost entirely in the Sicilian dialect, was the second actor to win an Oscar for playing Don Vito Corleone—and the second who was not present at the ceremony. De Niro was working on another project at the time, and Coppola accepted the award on his behalf.