'Sopranos' prequel movie in the works

ENTERTAINMENT

'Sopranos' prequel movie in the works

The Associated Press Published Thursday, March 8, 2018 3:41PM EST

'Sopranos' executive producers David Chase, second from left, and Brad Grey, centre, pose with cast and crew after winning the award for outstanding drama series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (AP / Reed Saxon)

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LOS ANGELES - "The Sopranos" might be coming to the movie theatre.

Warner Bros. Pictures says Thursday that New Line has purchased a screenplay for a "Sopranos" prequel from series creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner. The studio says the working title is "The Many Saints of Newark" and will be set in the 1960s during the Newark riots.

Chase's acclaimed series about mobster Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini, ran for six seasons on HBO and won 21 primetime Emmys.

Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich says in a statement that the studio is thrilled that Chase has decided to revisit and enlarge the Soprano universe. Chase will executive produce and co-write the film, but a director has yet to be selected.