EA attracts star names to GTA-style Godfather game

Electronic Arts has opened the books on its adaptation of The Godfather after the Hollywood Reporter revealed that star actors James Caan and Robert Duvall have committed voice acting work and their likenesses circa 1972 for use in the game, and that the late Marlon Brando entered into a similar agreement and recorded voice work prior to his death last year. EA has also secured the rights to use Nino Rota's musical compositions for the film and its soundtrack.

The Godfather is due out on PS2, Xbox, PSP and PC this autumn and is in development at the publisher's Redwood Shores studio, EA said yesterday. The game seemingly mimics the structure of Take-Two/Rockstar's monstrous Grand Theft Auto franchise, putting you in the role of a low-end mafia hood trying to earn a living in New York between 1945 and 1955. Players will work a number of jobs on the streets, including shakedowns, bank job, drive-bys and assassinations, and then join the Corleone family where they will work with the likes of Sonny Corleone (Caan), Tom Hagen (Duvall) and Don Vito Corleone (Brando).

EA is aiming for GTA-style non-linear gameplay which will "offer gamers countless choices for solving the family's problems with brutal violence, skilful diplomacy, or a cunning mixture of both," and "decisions made by the player in the game will have lasting consequences".

We should learn more about The Godfather shortly as EA gathers hacks and stars including Caan and Duvall for a grand unveiling in New York's Little Italy next week on 10th February. The game is also expected to be a serious fixture of EA's E3 showing this year.

In the meantime, you can revisit the low-key trailer EA released in December via Eurofiles.