THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK

Fans of The Sopranos will be thrilled to learn that a new Sopranos film is making its way to the big screen. The Sopranos first aired in 1999 and had tremendous success. In case you’re unfamiliar, The Sopranos revolved around the life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini)–a New Jersey mob boss and family man. It’s been described as one of television’s “essential dramas,” so it’s no surprise that a prequel starring Tony Soprano is coming soon.

The Many Saints of Newark stars a young Tony Soprano finding his way in late 1960s Newark, New Jersey, under the influence of his uncle, Dickie Moltisanti, during one of Newark’s “most tumultuous eras.” The film revolves around Soprano’s transition to adulthood at the same time as rival gangsters begin to challenge the DiMeo crime family.

It is directed by Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor and written by the original Sopranos creator David Chase and producer Lawrence Konner. In an interview with Vanity Fair, David Chase spoke about his decision to return to the world of The Sopranos: “Well, I never had any interest in doing it. And then—I don’t know what year it was… I had an interview with Tom Fontana and he said it would be interesting to do a story about Johnny and Junior in Newark. And because my parents, my mother especially, came from there, I thought, ‘Oh, that would be interesting. Yes. That could be cool.’ And then I forgot about it, but I never forgot it completely. Then I got interested in the Newark riots.”

Starring in The Many Saints of Newark is Michael Gandolfini, Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Billy Magnussen, Ray Liotta, Corey Stoll, John Magaro, Joey Diaz, Daryl Edwards, Gabrielle Piazza, Chase Vacnin, Lesli Margherita, Nick Vallelonga, Mattea Conforti, Alex Morf, and Samson Moeakiola. A stellar cast, if we do say so ourselves.
Michael Gandolfini, playing Tony Soprano, is the son of the original Tony Soprano, James Gandolfini. Michael grew up loving acting, and he said that after his dad died, he truly began to dive into his career and that it started the grieving process for his dad. When asked about Chase’s decision to cast him, Michael told PageSix, “I had this unspoken trust that David [Chase] wasn’t going to cast me if there was even a shred that this isn’t going to work.” Knowing that The Sopranos was a show big on family makes this casting decision that much more critical. It’s also the icing on the cake, knowing that the OG actor of Tony Soprano is related to the new one.

Are you excited about the film’s release? We are too. Be sure to check out the trailer, and let the countdown to October 1 commence!