Could happen. Citing "several sources," today's Hollywood Reporter says blockbuster doings are afoot involving Leonardo DiCaprio, Francis Ford Coppola and the holy-grail Godfather series.
DiCaprio, in fact, is "on board" for an in-the-works fourth installment of the Oscar-winning Mob saga, the trade paper says.
Also in the mix: Andy Garcia, who played Vincent Mancini, the illegitimate son of hothead Sonny Corleone, in 1990's The Godfather, Part III. The actor, stung of late by a string of box-office bombs including 1999's Just the Ticket, is, like DiCaprio, "on board."
In the Reporter, Coppola, who has helmed the three Corleone family films to date, acknowledges the actors' reps have been in talks with Paramount Pictures about The Godfather, Part IV. But the famously mercurial filmmaker is "coy," in the paper's words, about his own involvement in the project. As for Coppola, he tells the paper he's currently focused on another project. (What, Jack II?!?!)
Sources say talks are under way to sign Coppola and writer Mario Puzo (who penned the pulp novel that inspired the original film) for Godfather, Part IV, the report says.
Reputed story ideas being kicked around include one that would find DiCaprio playing a young Sonny Corleone in a flashback-heavy plot reminiscent of Godfather, Part II. (James Caan played the relatively young Sonny Corleone in the first Godfather.) Today, DiCaprio's rep termed talk of The Godfather, Part IV project "very premature," with "no script" and "no deal" in place. She said she couldn't confirm the Leo/Sonny angle.
Garcia presumably would return as Vincent, Michael Corleone's hand-picked successor to the Corleone (wink-wink) olive-oil importing business.
For those in need of a Godfather refresher, Michael (Al Pacino in the first three movies) was the youngest brother of Sonny and Fredo (the late John Cazale)--and the unlikely heir to papa Vito's mob. (Marlon Brando played old Vito in the original; Robert De Niro, young Vito in Part II).
One possibility for Part IV is for DiCaprio and Garcia to act independently of each other in unconnected, parallel storylines, like Pacino and De Niro in Part II.
The Godfather was among the first modern-day blockbusters, shattering box-office records upon its 1972 release. It won three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (for Brando) and Best Adapted Screenplay (for Coppola).
Part II was lauded as the critical superior to the first, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (for Coppola).
The long-delayed Part III was a fitful affair with Coppola's novice daughter Sofia enlisted as a last-minute sub for Winona Ryder as Michael's daughter Mary.