It’s only been a few months since word broke that HBO’s classic mob drama The Sopranos was getting a prequel movie, and in that span of time I’d already forgotten about it. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t think it would actually happen, but color me stupid because not only is it moving forward but now has a director in Alan Taylor.
Taylor, who might be familiar to fans of the show for directing numerous episodes, will be at the helm of The Many Saints of Newark. Series creator David Chase co-wrote the script with Lawrence Konner, and will take place decades earlier during a war between Italian and African-American residents of New Jersey. Characters from the show are expected to appear, although the same actors probably won’t because of the obvious time difference.
The last few years Taylor has been having one lousy experience after another on Hollywood blockbusters. He essentially had control of Thor: The Dark World yanked from him in post-production, and Terminator: Genisys was just plain lousy and killed the franchise. That said, his TV work is actually quite good. Besides The Sopranos he also directed episodes of Six Feet Under, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, and Deadwood.
No word on a start date but now that Taylor is in place expect things to move swiftly.
