David Chase to revive The Sopranos with The Many Saints of Newark prequel

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

If I told you that David Chase is gearing up to orchestrate a feature prequel to HBO's critically-acclaimed crime drama THE SOPRANOS, you'd probably tell me that I can fugetaboutit. Here's the thing though, and I ain't no rat, but it's completely true. Earlier today, it was announced that New Line has purchased the screenplay for THE SAINTS OF NEWARK, a Sopranos-related story that takes place during the Newark riots in the 60s. It was a time when animosity between the Italian and African-American communities of Newark were out for blood, and were known to spill the precious sanguine fluid onto the city streets at an alarming rate.

The script for THE SAINTS OF NEWARK – which as of the moment is still a working title for the project – was written by Chase and Lawrence Konner, who years ago dazzled audiences with their prolific work on HBO's THE SOPRANOS, which ran for six seasons between the years 1990-2007.

As for the details concerning the film, it's know that some of the characters made famous by THE SOPRANOS television series will appear, though details about the pot are still scarce at the present time. However, in looking at the timeline that Deadline has mapped out, they posit that there will be an opportunity for Tony Soprano’s father, Giovanni “Johnny Boy,” the former captain of the Soprano crew (played in flashbacks by Joseph Siravo), and a younger version of his wife Livia (Nancy Marchand), and Tony’s uncle Junior, played by Chianese to each have a part in the film.

Along with the film's announcement via Deadline, Warner Bros Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich remarked that “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.”

What do you all think about this news? Will you be able to handle a prequel to THE SOPRANOS on the big screen? If you could have any character appaer in the film, who would it be? Let us know in the comments section below!