"Yes": Only Murders in the Building co-creator confirms that the actual The Godfather house from Staten Island was featured in Season 5

Only Murders in the Building has always been about quirky old dad jokes and quite absurd murder humor with surprising details, but Season 5 slipped in one jaw-dropper that even longtime fans didn't see coming.

Yes, the house from The Godfather on Staten Island actually appears in the new season. Co-creator John Hoffman himself confirmed it, making it clear the show didn't just recreate the famous spot but filmed right inside the real place.

While speaking to TVLine he confirmed by saying:

"Yes. That was the big surprise!"

That tiny easter egg alone has fans buzzing all over social media.

How The Godfather house made its way into Only Murders in the Building?

For a show already full of Easter eggs, pulling in The Godfather house was a moment that blurred TV fiction with film history. John Hoffman, while speaking to TVLine, said it outright:

"Yes. That was the big surprise! First of all, I didn't know the Godfather house was still in existence, and I dian't know it was on Staten Island — like, wow, really?!?"

He explained that the idea of filming on the Staten Island ferry and then coming to such an iconic location was both unexpected and exciting for the entire team.

The cast and crew weren't just given easy access to film on the property itself but they were also welcomed in a really kind way by the family who lives there now. Hoffman talked about how wonderful it felt when they walked inside. Though the interiors didn't perfectly fit the ones we've seen in the film, production designer Patrick Howe and his team transformed the space into something that honored the movie while still fitting the tone of Only Murders in the Building.

Hoffman even shared a fun detail from the homeowner: the pool seen during the wedding sequence in The Godfather wasn't there originally. Instead, The Godfather producers had it built as a "thank you gift" for letting them film the big scene on the property. That kind of cinematic trivia is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes story fans love.

Why Season 5 leaned into mob vibes and nostalgia?

Only Murders in the Building has always been great at bringing in little nods to New York City history, but Season 5 went further by dipping into mob culture. In a conversation with TV Insider, Hoffman explained how much fun the writers had with this angle:

"The old mob was a really fun area to go into because what we had to ask ourselves in the writers' room with our brilliant group, 'What does that look like today?'"

For the team, the answer was not to go too heavy or dark but to play with archetypes in a comedic way. Hoffman described how one storyline involved a Staten Island character who dreams of being the next Tony Soprano while living inside the actual The Godfather house.

This nostalgic humor is what keeps Only Murders in the Building feeling so fresh, even in its fifth season. Instead of just being a murder mystery, the show continues to weave pop culture, history, and comedy into its storytelling. Filming inside such an iconic movie location wasn't just a production trick but it was a symbol of how the series works extremely well on surprises.

Only Murders in the Building has always been clever with details, but bringing in The Godfather house is on another level. John Hoffman's confirmation that Season 5 was filmed inside the real Staten Island landmark adds weight to how much care goes into every twist of the show.

It's not just about solving murders in the Arconia but it's about building a world with history, dad jokes, and unexpected connections that keep audiences coming back every Season.

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Stay tuned to Soap Central for more.

Also read: Where was Only Murders in the Building Season 5 shot? Revisiting key filming locations of the new installment of the mystery comedy

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