Many Saints Of Newark is the Sopranos prequel movie that many fans of the HBO mob drama have been waiting for. And now it looks like the project just got a lot more exciting with the additions of The Punisher‘s Jon Bernthal and Bates Motel‘s Vera Farmiga. More on the story here below.

Per Variety, Bernthal and Farmiga are both joining The Sopranos creator David Chase‘s Many Saints Of Newark. However, their roles have yet to be revealed. Considering that the film takes place during the Newark riots of the 1960s, its very likely that they will be playing the parents of someone we know from the original Sopranos series.

The two will be joining Alessandro Nivola, who will play Dickey Moltisanti, the mentor of teenage Tony Soprano and father of the Sopranos character Christopher Moltisanti.

Directed by Thor: The Dark World‘s Alan Taylor – who actually directed a couple of Sopranos episodes himself – Many Saints Of Newark will be set in the era of the Newark riots in the 1960s, at the height of African-Americans and Italians of Newark being at each other’s throats. However, specific plot details have yet to be revealed.

But you can expect to see a much younger version of Tony Soprano, whose experiences with those riots and the mafia will shape him to become the mob boss that we saw in the original TV series. Some are even speculating that Bernthal and Farmiga are playing Tony Soprano’s mom and dad. Again, it’s pure speculation.

I for one am keeping my expectations in check for this one. While it is exciting to go back and revisit the Sopranos in a prequel movie, I did somewhat enjoy some of the ambiguity and vagueness that came along with it. I couldn’t imagine having some of those questions answered or confirmed in the film.

Still, at least we know we will get a pretty good cast out of it.

Bernthal can next be seen on Netflix’s The Punisher, which will have its second season available for streaming on January 18, 2019. As for Farmiga, she will play a DJ for monsters in Godzilla: King Of Monsters.

We will keep you up to date as any new developments come up.

[Source: Variety]