Casting The Godfather If It Was Made In 2026: All 8 Main Roles

Published Sep 7, 2026, 1:01 PM EDT Karlis has been obsessing over television and movie news since he first learned how to read. He has worked in tech, as a musician, and in journalism with a well-rounded knowledge base of pop-culture throughout the eras. He claims that he has memorized the entire Internet Movie Database, and to date no one has been able to refute this. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University, Karlis loves to examine the intersections of popular science-fiction and culture. His latest novel MASS. is available now on Amazon and examines a world where obesity has become a federal crime. The Godfather is one of the greatest films ever made, and it is interesting to consider what kind of cast might play its iconic roles in 2026. While the prospect of remaking The Godfather would be a dangerous move, there is still great value in considering what kinds of stars and performers could adeptly fill in this powerful ensemble piece. One of the best movie epics of the 1970s, Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather launched countless great careers. Actors like Al Pacino and Diane Keaton broke through in the film before becoming some of the most beloved performers in Hollywood history. With that in mind, it is important to recognize that The Godfather's cast was largely unknown. Much of this was key to the success of The Godfather. As a result, rather than selecting a series of big names for a cast like this, it makes sense to consider smaller performers with incredible capacity for breakout success. A focus on performers who are mostly Italian, or of Italian heritage, was also an important factor to consider. Granted, Paramount+'s The Offer may have given audiences the closest thing to a remake that The Godfather will ever need. However, considering the kind of performers that could adeptly fill the iconic roles of this story, recasting the film is still a satisfying and curious exercise in considering the state of Hollywood and how it has changed since 1972. Celeste Dalla Porta As Connie Corleone Connie Corleone is Vito's only daughter, and Celeste Dalla Porta would be perfect for the role. An Italian star who broke through in the incredible Parthenope, Dalla Porta commands the screen in a wholly unique and entirely consuming way with staggering beauty and fantastic charisma. Especially seen through the lens of 2026, a character like Connie needs to be given tremendous depth. Understanding not just her place in the family, but also her abusive marriage to Carlo, is a necessary part of the story that requires a performer as strong as Dalla Porta. Connie has also been discussed as part of a new possible Godfather movie following the announcement of a novel telling her story. If any new iteration of the character is considered, Dalla Porta is the right star to look at for the role. Daniel Kaluuya As Tom Hagen The cast of The Godfather is overwhelmingly white, and for good reason: the film largely examines the Italian diaspora from Sicily to New York, and the actors who play those roles must match that racial makeup. However, Tom Hagen is an outsider to the family, and Daniel Kaluuya could pull that off perfectly. Quietly intense and nominated for an Academy Award twice, there is the possibility that Kaluuya might be too big for this ensemble part in 2026. However, it is difficult to imagine anyone else being as perfectly suited to the role. Kaluuya is a fantastic performer and is great at showing deep emotional depth behind a fairly stoic and agreeable facade. Logical and smart, but held at arm's length, the character of Tom Hagen would allow him to show off some incredible dramatic depth. Nicolas Cage As Emilio Barzini Image via MovieStillsDB Nicolas Cage would be good for several roles in The Godfather, but Emilio Barzini might be where he would fit best. A smaller, villainous role, the character was played by Richard Conte in the 1972 film after being considered for the role of Vito Corleone. Like Conte, Cage would be a fantastic Vito as well. However, the actor's star power and reputation are not at their highest in 2026, and could make him ill-suited to serve as the lead of this dramatic ensemble. Regardless, after Cage nearly starred in The Godfather Part III, his presence here feels essential. A part of the Coppola family and a fantastic performer, Cage would make for a strong antagonist in the film, and could genuinely elevate the role of Barzini. Filippo Scotti As Fredo Corleone Despite the character being in his twenties, John Cazale was already in his mid-thirties when filming The Godfather. As a result, it makes sense to have a younger actor, like Filippo Scotti, fill in the middle-child role of the Corleone family. Fredo is a complex character. His story has a genuinely tragic bent that is built upon the actor's weaknesses and vulnerability. Getting a young star like The Hand of God's Filippo Scotti would be the perfect choice here. Scotti has shown great skill in embodying tension and vulnerability, and won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor at the Venice Film Festival in 2021. He would be a real asset to this iteration of The Godfather. Margaret Qualley As Kay Adams-Corleone Image courtesy of Everett Collection Following the tragic loss of Diane Keaton, there are only a few actors today who have the same kind of charming presence, beauty, and fantastic dramatic ability. Margaret Qualley would be the perfect choice to take on this role as an outsider who marries into the Corleone family. Qualley is a fantastic star, as seen with her work in films like Honey Don't! and The Substance. She is versatile and brings great complexity to her performances in a way that would be necessary for a character like Kay. Kay's story is often tragic, and seeing her relationship with Michael play out would require a strong star. Qualley would be the perfect fit. Eduardo Scarpetta As Sonny Corleone Another actor on this list best known for his work in Italian movies and television, Eduardo Scarpetta would be an excellent choice to play Sonny Corleone in a 2026 version of The Godfather. The actor has the right kind of anger and rage, but also the dramatic depth to balance it against. Sonny is a complex character, and Scarpetta could do a great job showing off the range of emotion inherent to the role. The actor played an important part in HBO's My Brilliant Friend, where he brought an unusual and unsettling, yet charismatic presence to the show. A great actor with the ideal dramatic chops to play a role like this, Scarpetta would be the perfect choice for the eldest brother in the Corleone family. Anthony Ippolito As Michael Corleone The cast of The Offer is incredibly strong, and Anthony Ippolito did a fantastic job as Al Pacino in the Paramount+ series. However, since then, he has shown even more dramatic talent and looks to be a major star on the rise with his starring role in I Play Rocky. More than an impersonation, Ippolito brought his own unique charm to the role of Pacino, and seeing a bit more of that shine in his own version of Michael Corleone would be so compelling. Given the room to make the character fully his own, Ippolito would be the perfect young star to play this iconic role in a 2026 version of The Godfather. Leonardo DiCaprio As Don Vito Corleone Several performers would do a great job as Don Vito Corleone, but Leonardo DiCaprio makes the most sense for a number of reasons. The actor feels, in many ways, like a great contemporary analogue for Marlon Brando, with his dramatic depth and ability. Much of the discourse around a Godfather remake has suggested that Robert De Niro would be the right choice for the older Vito Corleone. While there are fans who would support this idea, De Niro is currently 83 years old and would be much too old for the role in 2026. In addition to this, however, DiCaprio would provide the essential star power needed for a central role like this. Like Brando, he would likely need to be aged up for the role, but the gravitas that his fame would add to the film would go a long way toward being the central core of the film. While stars like Justin Chambers, who played the character in The Offer, would also be strong selections for Vito Corleone, it is important to recognize the need for a big star like DiCaprio at the core of The Godfather. Without him, this iteration of the film would not work.