"The Sopranos" is rewinding the clock.
David Chase has written a screenplay for a prequel movie to his hit HBO drama series about New Jersey mobsters. The script, co-written by Lawrence Konner, has been purchased by New Line Cinema to produce.
The prequel will take place in the era of the Newark riots of the 1960s, when the city's African-Americans and Italians were at each other's throats. Amongst the gangsters of each group, those conflicts became especially lethal.
As Deadline reports, some characters from the series will appear in the film, possibly younger versions of Tony's father, Giovanni aka "Johnny Boy, the former captain of the Soprano crew (Joseph Siravo); his wife, Livia (Nancy Marchand); and Tony's uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese).
Chase will also serve as a producer and have a hand in choosing a director.
"The Sopranos" ran from 1999-2007 and reaped numerous awards, including 21 Emmys and five Golden Globes, and was a cultural phenomenon. It also helped launch the "Peak TV" era.