Fans get a glimpse into what made Tony Soprano a feared mob boss in the first trailer for prequel film The Many Saints Of Newark.
The movie serves as a return to the cut-throat world of the Sopranos for the first time since the trailblazing series cut to black in 2007.
It stars James Gandolfini’s son Michael as a younger version of Tony as he learns his criminal ways in 1960s Newark, New Jersey.
Every legend must start somewhere.
The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to The Sopranos, will be in theaters and streaming exclusively on HBO Max October 1. pic.twitter.com/qn48MhI6r6
— HBO Max (@hbomax) June 29, 2021
“When I was a kid, guys like me were brought up to follow codes,” a voiceover from the elder Gandolfini says, as the trailer opens to his son attacking someone outside a payphone.
The young Tony is seen interacting with several characters who either featured in The Sopranos or were key parts of the series’ backstory – including Alessandro Nivola as Dickie Moltisanti, father of Christopher.
“Legends aren’t born,” the trailer states. “They’re made.”
Jon Bernthal stars as Giovanni ‘Johnny Boy’ Soprano, Corey Stoll as Junior Soprano, Vera Farmiga as Tony’s mother Livia, Billy Magnussen as Paulie Gualtieri and John Magaro as Silvio Dante.
Goodfellas star Ray Liotta will also appear.
The Many Saints Of Newark, co-written by Sopranos creator David Chase, is set during the Newark riots and features rival gangs challenging the rule of the DiMeo crime family over the city.
Michael, 22, was 14 when his father died after suffering a heart attack in Rome in 2013.
The Sopranos premiered in 1999 to instant acclaim and is credited with shifting the TV landscape and opening the door to more prestige productions.
The Many Saints Of Newark is set to be released in the UK on October 22.