‘The Sopranos’ is coming back with a movie

It has been more than 10 years since an infamous black screen signaled the end of “The Sopranos.” But here is some awesome news for fans of the beloved HBO series: there’s a movie in the works!

Deadline broke the news Thursday that David Chase—creator of “The Sopranos”—has sold a film script to New Line Cinema that would be a prequel to the series. The movie has the working title “The Many Saints of Newark.”

How Can ‘The Sopranos’ Comeback Without Its Star?

Since “The Many Saints of Newark” would take place before “The Sopranos,” the movie would obviously not shed any light on the still-debated fate of Tony Soprano after the finale. Tragically, James Gandolfini, who won a slew of awards for his portrayal of the family man/mob leader, including three Emmy Awards, passed away in 2013. In addition to Gandolfini’s untimely death, actor Phil Leotardo, who played Uncle Vincent, also passed away in 2017.

For many fans, Gandolfini’s death put an end to speculation that the show could come back.

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Movie To Focus On Years Before “The Soprano”

Instead, Chase’s movie will be set during the 1960s, which was a very tense time in Newark, New Jersey, due to rioting, racial tension and gang rivalries. The screenplay was penned by Chase and Lawrence Konner, a prolific screenwriter who previously wrote for “The Sopranos” and HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.”

Studio executives are excited about the possibility of a new “Sopranos’ film.

“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 Group chairman Toby Emmerich told Deadline.com.

The New York Times reported Chase, 72, will not direct the prequel, but he will help select a director. New Line Cinema also created two feature films for the HBO series “Sex and the City” that collected a combined $704 million at the worldwide box office.

Will Fans Get Backstories Of Favorite Characters?

Few details have been released about the new project, yet. However, Deadline speculates it’s likely that fans will finally get a chance to see the glory days of some favorite characters like “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 (played indelibly in the show’s first season by Nancy Marchand), and Tony’s uncle Junior, played by Chianese.”

The movie could also give more glimpses into the childhoods of Tony, Silvio and Bobby Baccalieri. Plus, can you imagine Janice Soprano as a little girl?!

What Do ‘The Sopranos’ Fans Think?

And, what about the series’ devoted fans? Are they ready for more stories from ‘The Sopranos’ universe, even if it doesn’t answer the question of what happened after the mysterious series finale?

A reporter from NewJersey.com went to the famous diner where the final scene of the show was shot to get fan reaction. Watch what a pair of fans had to say about the news of a prequel.

On social media, other fans shared their anticipation (and humor) about the film.

Twitter user vin c may have decided to go back a little too far for a prequel idea:

One fan notes the huge expectations fans will have for any new ‘Sopranos’ project.

Meanwhile, Jen on Twitter probably is echoing what many fans did when they heard the news.

https://twitter.com/jenlem0n/status/972108739976290305

‘The Sopranos’ Legacy Is Unmistakeable

“The Sopranos” is an iconic TV series for many fans. The show ran for six seasons from 1999 to 2007. It was one of the first shows to make HBO a standout network for original programming. Plus, demand for repeated viewing of “The Sopranos” helped to make it a best selling DVD series.

It won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes during its run. “The Sopranos” made household names out of its actors, including the late Gandolfini and Edie Falco, who played his wife Carmela, as well as a host of other actors.

One thing is for sure: The actors who take on these roles are going to have major shoes to fill, as we have already grown to love (or sometimes, love to hate) these characters in a modern setting. But, something tells me, this prequel film is going to be awesome!