Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark pushed back to September

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

It's been well over a decade since The Sopranos concluded, but the HBO series is slated to return in the form of The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel movie that will be set in the era of the Newark riots in the 60s. It was a time when the African-Americans and the Italians of Newark were at each other’s throats, and among the gangsters of each group, those conflicts became especially lethal.

The Many Saints of Newark was once slated to hit theaters last year, but COVID-19 forced Warner Bros. to push the film back to March 12, 2021. Although conditions haven't exactly improved in terms of theaters reopening, Warner Bros. seems to be sticking to the release dates for most of their films as they'll be dropping them simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, but Warner Bros. nonetheless announced today that they have pushed The Many Saints of Newark back once again to September 24, 2021. Sources told Variety that the studio elected to move the film in order to let it premiere on the "film festival circuit and better position itself as an awards contender."

Michael Gandolfini, the son of the late James Gandolfini, plays a younger version of Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark, with the film also starring Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Billy Magnussen, and Ray Liotta. The Sopranos creator David Chase penned the script alongside Lawrence Konner, with Alan Taylor, who helmed many episodes of The Sopranos, directing the prequel film. The Many Saints of Newark will debut in theaters and and HBO Max on September 24, 2021.