'Godfather' filmmakers told 'gangster movies are dead' in 'The Offer' teaser

Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Paramount+ offers a glimpse at the long and twisted road filmmakers took to complete the classic movie, The Godfather, in a 70-second teaser for its new period drama, The Offer.

The 10-episode show is set to premiere on April 28.

It stars Miles Teller as Albert S. Ruddy, Matthew Goode as Robert Evans, Juno Temple as Bettye McCartt, Giovanni Ribisi as Joe Colombo, Dan Fogler as Francis Ford Coppola, Burn Gorman as Charles Bluhdorn, Colin Hanks as Barry Lapidus and Patrick Gallo as Mario Puzo.

The series was created and written by Michael Tolkin whose credits include Escape at Dannemora and The Player. Hunters alum Nikki Toscano is the showrunner.

The Offer preview has gotten more than 600,000 views since Paramount+ released it Tuesday.

It shows Ruddy and Evans excitedly trying to convince financial backers that The Godfather is "Shakespeare, it's epic" and "could become a culture phenomenon," while studio executives like Lapidus dismiss it because "gangster movies are dead" and real-life Italian-American celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and organized crime bosses like Colombo want it shut down.

Armie Hammer initially had been cast as Ruddy, but dropped out following controversy over graphic messages he allegedly sent to several women on social media. The messages described graphic sexual fantasies, including cannibalism.