The Many Saints of Newark is an upcoming American crime drama film directed by Alan Taylor and written by David Chase and Lawrence Konner as a prequel to Chase's HBO crime drama series The Sopranos. The film stars Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Michael Gandolfini, Billy Magnussen, John Magaro, Michela De Rossi, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga.
It is set in the 1960s and 1970s in Newark, New Jersey, using the 1967 riots in the city as a backdrop for tensions between the Italian-American and African-American communities. New Line Cinema obtained the rights to produce The Many Saints of Newark alongside HBO Films. Warner Bros. Pictures was to initially release the film on September 25, 2020, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, its release date was rescheduled to March 12, 2021.
In June 2017, when addressing whether or not he would continue The Sopranos, creator David Chase ruled it out while simultaneously hinting at an interest in a prequel to the series. In March 2018, New Line Cinema announced that it purchased the rights to produce the prequel film, co-producing with HBO Films, and Chase co-writing the screenplay with Lawrence Konner.
Chairman of New Line, Toby Emmerich, stated, "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. Chase said of the storyline, which centers on the 1967 Newark riots and racial tensions between the Italian-American and African-American communities, "I was interested in Newark and life in Newark at that time.
I used to go down there every Saturday night for dinner with my grandparents. But the thing that interested me most was Tony's boyhood. I was interested in exploring that. In July 2018, Alan Taylor, who previously directed episodes of The Sopranos, was hired to direct the film.
Two decades later and the legacy of HBO’s The Sopranos is still being written, debated, analyzed, and evaluated. Widely considered the launching pad for the modern era of prestige television, The Sopranos remains a foundational pillar of pop culture with detailed podcasts and novels dedicated to its depths. The show is even drawing swarms of renewed interest with viewership rising 179% on HBO Now since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Had COVID-19 never struck, show creator David Chase would have delivered the highly-anticipated prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark, in September, adding yet another chapter to the property’s history. While the spike in viewership could provide a boon for the film when it eventually arrives in 2021, has the renewed popularity changed how Chase believes audiences will respond to the movie?
“No. I think we’re all curious about what they’re going to feel,” he told Variety in a recent interview. “Is it going to be different than what we thought, or what we were creating toward? Yeah that’s it, and as far as the studio knows, I don’t know what they’re thinking about making any changes
The Many Saints of Newark is set during Newark’s 1967 race riots, an eerily prescient setting compared to today’s climate in wake of the George Floyd and #BlackLivesMatter protests. But Chase began writing the script long before the recent movement took form.
“That’s happened with this show a lot: stuff has happened that we can make use of, or stuff has happened after we’ve had it on, for some reason—like we were there before it, and I don’t know what that’s about,” he told the outlet. He added, “it might be bad luck when they get to the theater and see Many Saints, or it might have the opposite effect. But right now, it’s interesting to me that it’s happening on our screen, and in their life.”
When asked how he feels about The Sopranos potentially living on past him in some new form, especially given its surge in popularity recently, Chase says he makes “no predictions” about potential reboots or continuations. But he does admit that if the title were to undergo a reimagining similar to what is happening with The Wonder Years, “that’s got to be kind of weird.”
“I guess some,” he answers when asked how much control he would have over a prospective reboot. “I mean, I really don’t know. It’s never been put to the test, but I think I have something to say about it. And when I say The Wonder Years and The Sopranos, that would be quite a bit of work. It would probably be cool, actually, but it would be quite a bit of work.”
Two decades later and the legacy of HBO’s The Sopranos is still being written, debated, analyzed, and evaluated. Widely considered the launching pad for the modern era of prestige television, The Sopranos remains a foundational pillar of pop culture with detailed podcasts and novels dedicated to its depths. The show is even drawing swarms of renewed interest with viewership rising 179% on HBO Now since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Had COVID-19 never struck, show creator David Chase would have delivered the highly-anticipated prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark, in September, adding yet another chapter to the property’s history. While the spike in viewership could provide a boon for the film when it eventually arrives in 2021, has the renewed popularity changed how Chase believes audiences will respond to the movie?
“No. I think we’re all curious about what they’re going to feel,” he told Variety in a recent interview. “Is it going to be different than what we thought, or what we were creating toward? Yeah that’s it, and as far as the studio knows, I don’t know what they’re thinking about making any changes
The Many Saints of Newark is set during Newark’s 1967 race riots, an eerily prescient setting compared to today’s climate in wake of the George Floyd and #BlackLivesMatter protests. But Chase began writing the script long before the recent movement took form.
“That’s happened with this show a lot: stuff has happened that we can make use of, or stuff has happened after we’ve had it on, for some reason—like we were there before it, and I don’t know what that’s about,” he told the outlet. He added, “it might be bad luck when they get to the theater and see Many Saints, or it might have the opposite effect. But right now, it’s interesting to me that it’s happening on our screen, and in their life.”
When asked how he feels about The Sopranos potentially living on past him in some new form, especially given its surge in popularity recently, Chase says he makes “no predictions” about potential reboots or continuations. But he does admit that if the title were to undergo a reimagining similar to what is happening with The Wonder Years, “that’s got to be kind of weird.”
“I guess some,” he answers when asked how much control he would have over a prospective reboot. “I mean, I really don’t know. It’s never been put to the test, but I think I have something to say about it. And when I say The Wonder Years and The Sopranos, that would be quite a bit of work. It would probably be cool, actually, but it would be quite a bit of work.”
The Many Saints of Newark Cast
- Alessandro Nivola as Dickie Moltisanti, Christopher Moltisanti's father
- Leslie Odom Jr.
- Jon Bernthal as Giovanni "Johnny Boy" Soprano
- Corey Stoll
- Michael Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
- Billy Magnussen
- John Magaro
- Michela De Rossi
- Ray Liotta
- Vera Farmiga as Livia Soprano
- Joey Diaz
- Nick Vallelonga
In November 2018, Alessandro Nivola was cast to star in the film as Dickie Moltisanti, the father of Christopher Moltisanti. In January 2019, Chase, while discussing the 20th anniversary of the series, revealed that a young Tony Soprano would appear in the film.
Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Corey Stoll, and Billy Magnussen were added to the cast that same month. Michael Gandolfini, son of James Gandolfini, was cast in the role of young Tony. Gandolfini, having never watched The Sopranos, watched through it to prepare for the role, describing it as an intense process. Ray Liotta joined the cast in February, with Leslie Odom Jr. and Michela De Rossi joining in March, as well as John Magaro, who starred in Chase's debut feature film in 2012, Not Fade Away.
Principal photography began in Brooklyn on April 3, 2019, moved to Newark on May 7, and wrapped in June 2019. Branford Place, a street in Newark, was transformed to fit the 1960s time period for the riots, including detailed storefronts, the old Adams Theatre marquee, and the retro neon sign for Hobby's Delicatessen. Luther Engler, a retired Newark police officer, served as a technical adviser for the film. Filming also took place in Bloomfield. Satriale's Pork Store, which was featured in The Sopranos, was recreated in Paterson
The Many Saints of Newark Release Date
The film was initially scheduled to be released on September 25, 2020, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, its release date was rescheduled to March 12, 2021.
The Many Saints of Newark Trailer
The review of the film will be coming soon
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