Iconic 1974 movie just named the greatest movie sequel of all time. It even surpassed The Empire Strikes Back in new ranking

Movie sequels often have a difficult job. They have to bring audiences back while also giving them something new, and very few have managed that balance as well as The Godfather Part II. More than five decades after its release, Francis Ford Coppola's sequel has once again been named the greatest movie sequel ever.

According to Consequence, The Godfather Part II took the No. 1 spot in its ranking of the 35 Best Movie Sequels of All Time, beating Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back, which came in at No. 2.

The sequel that changed what sequels could be

Released in 1974, two years after The Godfather, the movie did much more than continue Michael Corleone's story.


Al Pacino returned as Michael, who was now tightening his control over the Corleone family. At the same time, Robert De Niro played a young Vito Corleone, showing his father's journey from his early years in Italy to his rise as a Mafia boss in New York.

The two timelines gave Coppola a way to show the contrast between Vito's rise and Michael's growing isolation and decline. Instead of simply repeating the first film, Part II expanded the story and added more to the Corleone family history.

Consequence called the film the “gold standard” for sequels that surpass their originals. The publication wrote, “When discussing sequels that surpassed the original film, The Godfather Part II remains the gold standard, diving deeper into the story of the Corleone family by depicting both its past and its future,” as reported by Men's Journal.

It wasn't an easy sequel to make

The movie also had its share of problems before cameras even started rolling. According to Parade, Pacino had major concerns about the original script and nearly did not return. Coppola reportedly spent an entire night rewriting it before Pacino agreed to make the film.

Marlon Brando also agreed to appear in a flashback involving Vito's birthday but did not show up for filming, forcing Coppola to rewrite the scene that same day.

Paramount had its own concerns. The studio reportedly opposed the “Part II” title because it feared audiences would not want another chapter of a story they already knew.

The Oscars helped cement its reputation

The gamble paid off. The Godfather Part II received 11 Academy Award nominations and won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Coppola and Best Supporting Actor for De Niro.

It became the first sequel to win Best Picture, a feat later matched only by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The original Godfather and Part II also remain the only original film and direct sequel to both win Best Picture.

Interestingly, IndieWire reached a different conclusion in its August 2026 ranking of the 100 Best Movie Sequels Ever. It placed The Godfather Part II at No. 2, while Magic Mike XXL took the top position.