Sopranos Prequel: James Gandolfini's Son Cast as Young Tony!
Paul Dailly
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The Sopranos is getting the prequel movie treatment, and the latest casting news confirms the new project will be keeping it all in the family.
Michael Gandolfini, the son of late James Gandolfini, has been added to the cast of the prequel as Tony Soprano, according to Variety.
“It’s a profound honor to continue my dad’s legacy while stepping into the shoes of a young Tony Soprano,” Gandolfini said.
“I’m thrilled that I am going to have the opportunity to work with David Chase and the incredible company of talent he has assembled for ‘The Many Saints of Newark.’”
Related: The Sopranos Prequel Adds Bates Motel, The Walking Dead Favorites
James played the role of Tony on the original HBO series from 1999 to 2007, so casting his son in the role of the younger iteration of Tony is a great idea.
As previously reported, the movie is going under the title "The Many Saints of Newark," and will be "set during the Newark riots in July 1967, when the acrimony between African-Americans and Italian-Americans became lethal as 26 people died and hundreds were injured in New Jersey’s largest city."
Gandolfini joins a cast that already includes Cory Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Jon Bernthal, Alessandro Nivola, and Vera Farmiga.
What's more, the movie will not be airing on HBO. Instead, it will be following a similar path to the Sex & the City movies by debuting in theaters instead of the small screen.
The Sopranos is one of HBO's biggest hits and has a global following, so the movie should make some money at the box office.
According to Michael's IMDB, he appeared in multiple episodes of HBO's The Deuce, and will also be appearing in an upcoming movie titled The Boy, the Dog and the Clown.
Okay, The Sopranos Fanatics!
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
