No, it's not happening, that would be a sin.
But I was thinking (no, it didn't hurt) this morning
while watching a Al Pacino - Robert De Niro retrospective:
What if The Godfather were made today, starring either of these guys as Don Vito?
How would the rest of the major roles be cast?
Please submit your lists.
(I know it is a stupid exercise, That's why I brought it to IMWAN!)

It would somehow involve Jack Black, Will Smith and Tom Cruise.....

One of these days I'm going to have to see this movie again to see if it lives up to the hype.

I don't dispute that it's a great movie, and I don't dispute that it's a landmark film in both cinema history and popular culture. What I dispute is the increasing number of people who insist that The Godfather is The Greatest Film Of All Time. Then again, I'd probably would have the same reaction to MOST great films that get that label. I'll have to watch it again to judge. I think it's great, but there are other films which are better, including GoodFellas.


But it says a lot about the impact this film has had on popular culture that I literally can't imagine how this would get filmed today in 2016 if there was never a film made in 1972. We think and talk differently because that movie existed, so I don't know if we would react to the film the same way, or even if a younger Coppola would film it the same way. I think there are a number of talented actors like Ed Harris who could step into the role played by Robert Duvall, but I don't know how he would approach the character if Duvall never played it in the first place.

I do note the fact that Francis Ford Coppola did NOT win a Best Director award for this film, and neither did Al Pacino get an acting award only highlights something that I regard as a truism. It is so rare for the Academy to get the Best Picture award to a truly deserving film that whenever it does, it's usually countered by a huge mistake to make up for it.

Leonardo obviously, Ryan Gosling obviously, maybe a Tom Hardy or the Italian guy that was in Brooklyn (though in real life I believe he's Jewish).

Oscar Isaac was practically channeling Pacino in A Most Violent Year, so he'd be perfect to play Michael.

I'd watch Isaac's Godfather in a heartbeat.

Hails yeah. Heck he even looks like him!

Somehow, they'd also need to involve Sofia Vergara.

Hopefully not straying too far from your point, but let's eject Pacino/DeNiro, and try this on for size:

Don Vito Corleone: Denzel Washington
Michael Corleone: Michael B. Jordan
Sonny Corleone: Jamie Foxx
Fredo Corleone: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Connie Corleone: Kerry Washington
Tom Hagan: Oscar Isaac
Clemenza: Forest Whitaker
Kay Adams: Gina Rodriguez
Barzini: Eddie Murphy
Solozzo: Samuel L. Motherfuckin' Jackson
Tessio: Lawrence Fishburne

Don Vito Corleone: Louie Anderson
Michael Corleone: James Franco
Sonny Corleone: Danny McBride
Fredo Corleone: Jay Banuchel
Connie Corleone: Sarah Silverman
Tom Hagan: Martin Starr
Clemenza: Jonah Hill
Kay Adams: Mindy Kaling
Barzini: Ken Jeong
Solozzo: Craig Robinson
Tessio: Brian Posehn

I'm laughing out loud imagining Craig Robinson as Solozzo.

Those were great.
I'll bet Sarah Silverman could pull it off for real!
"Godfather IV: Connie Commands This Family"

Don Vito Corleone: Christopher Walken
Michael Corleone: Morgan Spector
Sonny Corleone: Bradley Cooper
Fredo Corleone: Peter Facinelli
Connie Corleone: Kate Mara
Tom Hagan: Aidan Gillen
Clemenza: Chazz Palminteri
Kay Adams: Rachel Brosnahan
Barzini: Ciarán Hinds
Sollozzo: Bobby Cannavale
Tessio: Steve Buscemi
Johnny Fontane: Harry Connick, Jr
Luca Brasi: Mark Ruffalo

Years ago, I read a Godfather book and it referenced a 10 year period where Paramount was trying to make a Godfather III without Coppola, who had turned it down. It went through several permutations -- one storyline involved some black gangsters in Harlem. When Eddie Murphy heard that, he supposedly told an executive, "I would act in The Godfather for free."