A new image supposedly advertising a new Sopranos series starring Michael Gandolfini has been making the digital rounds.
David Chase’s smash hit HBO series The Sopranos managed to turn a lot of heads in the early-to-mid-2000s. Viewers couldn’t get enough of the late, great James Gandolfini’s iconic mob boss Tony Soprano and the individuals within his orbit.
The series ended on a rather infamous note with a very divisive finale that left some major story threads hanging. Still, The Sopranos remains hugely popular to this day. When audiences think of the beginning of “prestige television“, The Sopranos is typically the show that immediately springs to mind.
What’s Going On With That Viral Soprano Poster?
A poster has recently gained some traction online, one which originated on Facebook. This fairly dubious-looking piece of marketing material is marked with the words “Soprano - January 2025” and shows actor Michael Gandolfini, presumably as a younger version of Tony Soprano.
Despite the fact that Michael Gandolfini, the son of Tony’s original actor James Gandolfini, has played Tony before in the 2021 Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark, there is no new Sopranos-related project officially announced to be in the works, making the poster in question a fake.
It’s significant to note that in series creator David Chase’s eyes, Tony Soprano was killed in The Sopranos’ final episode, despite the matter being dealt with ambiguously.
It’s also important to mention that James Gandolfini sadly passed away in 2013 at 51 year old. In addition to being the show’s lead, in the eyes of most, the actor was so incredibly crucial in making The Sopranos work. Many would agree that returning to the well without James Gandolfini would be a wasted effort.
Still, that notion didn’t hinder a content-hungry Warner Bros. who requested that Chase create a brand-new Sopranos a few years back. This installment of the franchise would take place after the 1970s-set Many Saints of Newark and chronicle the life of the young Tony Soprano played by Michael Gandolfini.
Chase spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in 2021 where he explained exactly the type of show that Warner Bros. (WB) wanted:
“Well, of course, the movie didn’t do well in theaters, but it, like, broke the machine on streaming — it was huge. So now they want me to do another series of Sopranos from the time the movie ends until the time the series begins.”
But Chase had other ideas in mind, ones that he didn’t believe WB would go for:
“No. I would do one more movie… Because I have an idea for that that I’d like to do. But I don’t think they want that.”
David Chase’s willingness to produce another Sopranos project was also conditional on him being able to re-team with Terence Winter, another producer and writer of the original series.
In 2021, Deadline inquired directly whether or not Winter would be on board for such a thing to which he responded “Absolutely:”
“The idea of doing another one, and doing it with David, I’d be in in a heartbeat. Absolutely.”
Could Another Sopranos Movie or Show Really Get Made?
The Sopranos has an enduring legacy. Many fans rewatch it on repeat and there always seem to be new fans discovering the series for the first time and quickly becoming hooked.
So, it makes perfect sense that Warner Bros. would wish to capitalize upon that lasting success.
The Many Saints of Newark might not have lit up the box office in the slightest upon the film’s 2021 theatrical release (though granted, it was released during the pandemic) it did big numbers for WB’s streaming service Max.
The movie also managed to convert many who watched it into new viewers of The Sopranos, making it especially valuable.
It remains to be seen if anything will come of that streaming achievement. But perhaps if the stars align just right and Many Saints of Newark’s principal cast isn’t busy and is willing to commit to another project, David Chase might be able to fulfill his ambition of making another movie.
Both The Sopranos and The Many Saints of Newark can be streamed on Max.
