That's some of the problems UunderBoss and I are running into with our "scriptment."

However, Parts II and III did a good job of introducing good secondary characters into the mix, and a part IV would have to do that instead of recycling the original cast, just to get familiar faces in there. Part III used that up with Enzo, Lucy, Calo, and some others, and they weren't even really full characters.

Part IV would still have the corps players of Michael, Vincent, Connie, and Anthony.

The flashbacks could bring back the original characters, and with inspired casting, would be the main draw of the film.

I personally think a Part IV should be a prequel to Part I and show the family's rise to where they are in part I.

Although we are writing a script for a Part IV which advances past Part III, I think that the golden years before part I are where the meat of a good story exists.

Anything past Part III is going to feel like Goodfellas or Sopranos if done the wrong way. We have to remember, the Godfather is the original - and has to feel like it still is the Godfather and not some cheap knockoff with the name attached.