In what year was The Godfather released?

The Godfather was released in 1972.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film premiered in New York City on March 14, 1972, before receiving a wider release later that month. It was adapted from Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel of the same name.

The film became one of the defining American crime dramas, following the Corleone family during the transfer of power from patriarch Vito Corleone to his son Michael. Its success led to two sequels, The Godfather Part II in 1974 and The Godfather Part III in 1990.

A common mix-up is confusing the film’s release year with the publication year of Puzo’s novel, which was 1969. The original film also had a longer running time than many mainstream releases of its era, at about 175 minutes.