The Many Saints of Newark (2021)

The Many Saints of Newark (marketed with the subtitle A Sopranos Story) is a 2021 American crime drama film serving as prequel to David Chase's HBO series The Sopranos (1999–2007). The film was directed by Alan Taylor, and written by Chase and Lawrence Konner. Set in Newark, New Jersey, the plot follows a violent gang war from the perspectives of mobster Dickie Moltisanti and his teenage nephew, Tony Soprano, in the midst of the city's 1967 riots. It stars Alessandro Nivola as Dickie and Michael Gandolfini as Tony, the character played by his father in the series, with Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Michela De Rossi, John Magaro, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga in supporting roles. It was Liotta's final release performance before his death in 2022.

Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema obtained the rights to produce The Many Saints of Newark alongside HBO Films. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Fall Preview on September 22, 2021, and was theatrically released in the United States on October 1, along with a month-long simultaneous release on the HBO Max streaming service. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising the performances of Gandolfini and Nivola, though some criticized the script. While the film's theatrical release was a box-office bomb, grossing $13 million against a budget of $50 million, its simultaneous streaming service release was a success on HBO Max and contributed to a spike in viewership for The Sopranos.