The VHS release is called "Final Director's Cut", features 8 minutes of additional and alternate footage not included in theatrical version and has been the version released on all subsequent home media and television releases, until the 2020 "Coda" version. The theatricals version was released in certain non USA countries on VHS and DVD, but never on Blu Ray or 4K until the 2022 Godfather 50th anniversary box set. The changes mostly consist of additional footage, but some alternate footage and dialogue in select scenes. Full set of changes are as follows:
- New scene of Don Altabello giving to the Vito Andolini foundation (1.5m).
- There is an added scene in Michael's party of the Arch Bishop and Bj talking (30s).
- New scene of Michael and George Hamilton at breakfast; then Andrew Hagen enters and speaks with Michael (1m 18s).
- New establishing shot of the church before Michael and the Arch Bishops meeting (7s, this is the opening shot of the 'Coda version')
- New scene of Mary questioning Michael's motives on the rooftop (1m 30s).
- Alternate take of Altabello leaving the Chinese restaurant before entering Michael's car (-3s)
- Two medium close-ups shots of Mary and Vincent added to the scene where they make gnocchi (8s).
- New dialogue is added to Michael reprimanding Vincent, Connie, and Neri (30s).
- Alternate dialogue in the scene where Mary is being told to not date Vincent, by Mary. Then additional dialogue is given to Michael and Anthony (10s).
- New scene of Michael giving Anthony the drawing form part II (32s).
- New scene of a shot of Michael and Kay's car driving through the hills, which dissolves into the next new scene (16s).
- New scene of Michael and Kay standing outside the door of Vito's old house, which references a deleted scene from the first film (30s).
- Deleted dialogue after Kay comments about the puppet show (No time difference).
- New scene of a cycling priest with flowers, who then gives them to Kay (28s).
- Alternate dialogue between Michael and Kay at lunch. The 1991 cut is far more emotional, where as the the article cut is far less emotional, having the characters find a much more blatant peace.
- Two superimposed shots were cut from the Restoration (making no change in the timing.) When the new Pope is elected, the Restoration at around 2:05:04 shows three superimposed shots of newspaper front pages. But the Theatrical Version included two extra front pages not included in the Restoration: a German newspaper 15 seconds later, and then an Italian newspaper another 15 seconds after that.
