James Gandolfini's portrayal of Tony Soprano in The Sopranos is the stuff of legend, and the actor's son will continue the actor's legacy in The Many Saints of Newark.
Michael Gandolfini will play a younger version of Tony Soprano in the upcoming prequel movie, and thanks to a new HBO trailer, we have our first look at Gandolfini Jr. in the role. The actor looks uncannily like his father, who passed away in 2013. You can see the actor at around the 20-second mark in the trailer, which you can watch below. See a screenshot of the actor above.
David Chase, who created the series, previously told Cigar Aficionado of the casting: "It wasn’t a tough decision. I saw him do it and that was it." Terrance Winter, who wrote multiple episodes of The Sopranos and went on to create Boardwalk Empire, said: “I’ve known Michael since he was a baby. He’s hugely talented, like his dad. But those are big shoes to fill.”
Aida Turturro, who played Tony's sister Janice, added: “By having Jimmy’s son in the movie, it’s like part of Jimmy and so it’s part of the family.”
Michael Gandolfini will certainly have a lot to live up to. His father's performance as the iconic mobster is often heralded as a pivotal character in television history, with The Sopranos routinely named the best TV show of all time.
With Chase back on board to write The Many Saints of Newark and Alan Taylor, who previously helmed nine episodes of the show, acting as director, this will be a movie that no Sopranos fan will want to miss. Check out more on the new HBO Max trailer through that link. If you're interested in the streaming service, we've rounded up the latest HBO Max prices and offers.
