Warner Bros. has released the long-awaited first trailer for David Chase’s “Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark” on Tuesday. Aside from a handful of production photos that have been seen throughout the past year, it’s the first glimpse of the film that was shot beginning in April 2019 and originally set for release September 25, 2020.
The movie follows the formative years of New Jersey gangster Tony Soprano. Set in the 1960s, the plot focuses on Soprano’s transition from a ne’er-do-well student to a made man in-the-making, during one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark history.
Michael Gandolfini plays the young Tony Soprano, famously portrayed on the HBO series by his father, the late James Gandolfini. James passed away after suffering a heart attack while travelling with Michael in Rome, Italy, in 2013. The film also stars Alessandro Nivola as Richard “Dickie” Moltisanti, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal as Tony’s father Giovanni “Johnny Boy” Soprano, Corey Stoll as Junior Soprano, Billy Magnussen as Paulie Gualtieri, John Magaro as Silvio Dante, Michela De Rossi, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga as Tony’s mother Livia Soprano.
The trailer certainly doesn’t shy away from its roots–or the lasting legacy of James Gandolfini. His voice is heard in the lead-in voiceover saying, “When I was a kid, guys like me were brought up to follow oaths.” A title card of the famous red “Sopranos” logo with the gun replacing the letter R is also featured, along with original show’s iconic theme song “Woke Up This Morning” playing over the credits at the end.
Originally delayed from September 25, 2020 to March 12, 2021, “The Many Saints of Newark” will premiere in theaters and on HBO Max on October 1, 2021. Check out the trailer below.
