Author Chosen To Write New 'Godfather' Novel
'Godfather Returns' Due In 2004.
POSTED: 12:49 p.m. EST February 7, 2003
UPDATED: 1:14 p.m. EST February 7, 2003
For the lack of better words, it's an offer Mark Winegardner can't refuse.
The "offer" is for the fiction writer to write a new book in the "Godfather" saga -- as the winner of a recent contest offered by late author Mario Puzo's estate and publisher Random House.
The fictional story of the Corleone mob family has spawned three movies and nine Oscars, including Best Picture honors for the first film and its sequel.
The decision was announced Friday morning on NBC's "Today Show."
Titled "The Godfather Returns," the novel is tentatively scheduled to come out in the fall of 2004.
Winegardner is a fiction writer who's penned books about baseball and organized crime. He also heads the creative writing program at Florida State University. The author said there are "many stories" left to tell.
Like Puzo, Winegardner has a knack for writing about crime. But unlike Puzo, he's not Italian.
Puzo died in 1999 of heart failure at age 78.
Random House's editor says he got more than 100 proposals, and that he quickly scrapped many of them. One had family head Michael Corleone falling in love with an American Indian social activist.
Puzo joined director Francis Ford Coppola to write the screenplay for the film version of "The Godfather" which was released in 1972. It launched the career of actor Al Pacino, and brought Marlon Brando his second -- and last -- Best Actor Oscar.
Oddly enough, the Oscar was an offer Brando did refuse, alleging discrimination against the Indian community in Hollywood.
The "offer" is for the fiction writer to write a new book in the "Godfather" saga -- as the winner of a recent contest offered by late author Mario Puzo's estate and publisher Random House.
The fictional story of the Corleone mob family has spawned three movies and nine Oscars, including Best Picture honors for the first film and its sequel.
The decision was announced Friday morning on NBC's "Today Show."
Titled "The Godfather Returns," the novel is tentatively scheduled to come out in the fall of 2004.
Winegardner is a fiction writer who's penned books about baseball and organized crime. He also heads the creative writing program at Florida State University. The author said there are "many stories" left to tell.
Like Puzo, Winegardner has a knack for writing about crime. But unlike Puzo, he's not Italian.
Puzo died in 1999 of heart failure at age 78.
Random House's editor says he got more than 100 proposals, and that he quickly scrapped many of them. One had family head Michael Corleone falling in love with an American Indian social activist.
Puzo joined director Francis Ford Coppola to write the screenplay for the film version of "The Godfather" which was released in 1972. It launched the career of actor Al Pacino, and brought Marlon Brando his second -- and last -- Best Actor Oscar.
Oddly enough, the Oscar was an offer Brando did refuse, alleging discrimination against the Indian community in Hollywood.Copyright 2003 by Lifewhile.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
