The Sopranos Prequel 'The Many Saints Of Newark' From David Chase Is Heading To The Big Screen
The prequel to the David Chase handiwork The Sopranos is already in the works, tentatively named The Many Saints of Newark.
Warner Bros announced on Thursday that the prequel is set to be released in the big screen, as opposed to The Sopranos that aired in HBO for eight years. The James Gandolfini-starrer series is different from the prequel, as this would explain the riot that transpired in Newark during the 60s, "when the African-Americans and the Italians of Newark were at each other's throats, and when among the gangsters of each group, it became especially lethal."
"David is a masterful storyteller and we, along with our colleagues at HBO, are thrilled that he has decided to revisit, and enlarge, the Soprano universe in a feature film," Warner Bros. Pictures chairman Toby Emmerich said.
As for the cast, some of those from The Sopranos will appear to this prequel, though further details were not given. The Many Saints of Newark would not be helmed by Chase, but he cowrote the script with Lawrence Konner.
Time noted that key characters' storyline involving Johnny Boy Soprano, played by Joseph Siravo, and Livia, played by Nancy Marchand, could somehow play out in the prequel, considering the timeline. Tony, the lead character of The Sopranos, was born in 1959 in the work of fiction, so if the film would take place in the 60s, Tony's parents could be given more light.
Numerous Awards
New Line Cinema will bring this film to life, the prequel to the much acclaimed series that spanned for six seasons. The Sopranos had become iconic and was lauded by a lot of critics and award-giving bodies.
It earned more than 20 Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody Awards, so clearly the crime drama series drew a massive audience during its run. Probably because of its effective storytelling that transcended into multitude of awards that it had gotten a clamor for a return, hence the prequel.
Meanwhile, Chase had always been firm about not wanting to have a sequel to The Sopranos. However, should the show see light once again, it would be through a prequel. This was teased by the creative lad last year with Entertainment Weekly, when the show celebrated its 10th anniversary from its finale. He cited concerns over the cast, though he hinted that a prequel could happen.
"I could conceive of maybe a prequel of The Sopranos. I could never see [a return of the show] except as a prequel," Chase revealed.
