The Secret History of HBO’s Best TV Show Was Revealed Five Years Ago, But the Opening Line Is Haunting

The Sopranos is often considered to be one of the greatest HBO shows of all time. The stories of Tony Soprano, Christopher Moltisanti, Jennifer Melfi, and the rest of The Sopranos cast have been etched into the history of pop culture, with the series receiving rave reviews throughout its run and kicking off the Golden Age of Television. Despite this, one of the biggest pieces of The Sopranos media outside of the original series is rarely talked about, even though it gives an even greater look into the lives of these infamous figures.

While series creator David Chase has long been against continuing the story of The Sopranos after its vague ending, the filmmaker was open to the idea of a prequel. Since he was fresh out of film school, Chase had always wanted to make a movie about young men in Newark, New Jersey against the backdrop of the 1967 Newark riots. While this project went undeveloped for years, Chase eventually decided to merge it with his idea for a prequel to The Sopranos, leading to the release of the 2021 film The Many Saints of Newark and the opening is haunting.

The Many Saints of Newark Hit Theaters (& HBO Max) 5 Years Ago, Today

After being off the year for 14 years, The Sopranos franchise finally returned with the release of The Many Saints of Newark. The film tells the origin story of Tony Soprano, with him following in the footsteps of his uncle Dickie Moltisanti as he navitgates the world of organized crime and the reign of the DiMeo crime family. The Many Saints of Newark features characters who were mentioned but never seen throughouit the original series, as well as young versions of characters like Junior Soprano, Paulie Walnuts, Silvio Dante, and more.

The Many Saints of Newark had a budget of $50 million, but it only made $13.1 million, something that definitely impacted its lack of cultural impact. The film’s low box office is undoubtedly in part to the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as it was released simoultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max as part of Warner Bros.’ release strategy that year. The film received 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, and while this is pretty good when compared to the average movie, it didn’t live up to the high bar that the original HBO series had set.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Many Saints of Newark is that young Tony Soprano is played by Michael Gandolfini, the son of original Tony Soprano actor James Gandolfini. Michael had previously appeared in projects like 2018’s Ocean’s 8 and the series The Deuce, but The Many Saints of Newark was where he really broke out, with him later getting roles in projects like Beau if Afraid, Warfare, and Daredevil: Born Again.

While The Many Saints of Newark isn’t a must-see for fans of The Sopranos, it is definitely an interesting companion piece to the series, especially because it is written by the creator of the original series. Since the appeal of the series is the setting of the last days of organized crime, having the movie set in the 1960s was a major risk, yet The Many Saints of Newark still managed to be a pretty solid follow up to The Sopranos.

The Many Saints of Newark’s Opening Scene Is The Best Part Of The Movie

While most of the film is fine, the opening scene of The Many Saints of Newark is the highlight, as it acts as a brief sequel to The Sopranos. The film opens with the camera moving through a graveyard, with the deceased providing a voice over describing their lives and deaths. One of these graves belongs to Chirstopher Moltisanti, the nephew that Tony killed at the end of the original series, who delivers this monologue:

“I told them when I got here ‘Okay, I just explored the criminal lifestyle.’ But I was an altar boy, for Christ’s sake. Moltisanti is a religious name and I’m still f*cked. I met death on Route 23, not too far from here. But that was much later.”

These lines are an absolutely haunting way to open the film, reminding audiences that the actions seen throughout The Many Saints of Newark will inevitably lead to all of these character’s deaths. No matter how moral they believe they are, they are all being led to their demise by those who came before them and the horrible ways they impart on their successors. Tony’s relationship with Dickie directly parallels Christopher’s relationship with Tony, and before the former is shown, The Many Saints of Newark reminds us of the horrors of the latter.

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