James Gandolfini's son cast as young Tony for 'Sopranos' prequel

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James Gandolfini's son cast as young Tony for 'Sopranos' prequel

The Associated Press Published Wednesday, January 23, 2019 1:54PM EST

Robert Iler, left, and Michael Gandolfini attend HBO's "The Sopranos" 20th anniversary at the SVA Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

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NEW YORK -- The son of James Gandolfini has been cast as the young Tony Soprano in the planned "Sopranos" prequel, "The Many Saints of Newark."

Michael Gandolfini will play a younger version of the iconic character his late father played on the HBO series. The 19-year-old actor has had a recurring role on HBO's "The Deuce."

Gandolfini said in a statement it's "a profound honour to continue my dad's legacy." James Gandolfini died of a heart attack at the age of 51 in 2013.

"Sopranos" creator David Chase is producer and screenwriter for the New Line production. Alan Taylor, who directed several episodes of "The Sopranos" and 2013's "Thor: The Dark World," is set to direct.

"The Sopranos" recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its 1999 debut.