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Michael Gandolfini Is Ready to Play Tony Soprano Again, but Probably Just One More Time

Zack Sharf
·2 min read

According to “The Many Saints of Newark” director Alan Taylor, screenwriter and “The Sopranos” creator David Chase has hinted about keeping the door open for a sequel or follow-up project. If it happens, Michael Gandolfini is more than ready to return as young Tony Soprano. “Many Saints” takes place during Tony’s childhood and high school years, which is why Gandolfini is so eager to see the character through his twenties. But that’s all the Tony Soprano the actor wants. Gandolfini wants to reprise Tony, but probably just one more time and that’s it.

“This is such an incredible character and incredible group of actors and incredible filmmakers that I learned so much,” Gandolfini said in an Uproxx interview. “This is going to jump to the priority to get to work with David or anyone again. But I am not so much interested in playing 30-year-old Tony. I think if there’s an interesting part after this movie, before the show, that we can explore something about Tony that hasn’t been explored, in his youth, in his 20s. After that, we’re getting a little too old.”

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Michael Gandolfini is the son of James Gandolfini, who won three Emmy Awards for playing Tony Soprano on the HBO Series. Because his father and David Chase “already explored” Tony as an adult, Michael has less interest in playing Tony for a long period of time. “The older I get, there is a cutoff where it just naturally goes into the show,” he said.

Plus, returning for a “Many Saints” follow-up would bring Gandolfini back on set with actors such as Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, and Corey Stoll, all of whom play younger versions of characters that appeared on “The Sopranos.”

“I want to [act] for my entire life, and I want to grow,” Gandolfini told Uproxx. “So right now, as a 22-year-old, my main goal is to learn as much as possible. So with the idea that I can work with Jon Bernthal and Vera Farmiga and Corey Stoll and Billy Magnussen – and whoever comes back and whoever new actors are brought in, and David – I’m going to learn from that experience no matter what. So in some ways that’s a win. But yeah, like you said, I do want to go on and do other things.”

“The Many Saints of Newark” debuts in theaters and HBO Max this Friday, October 1.

Launch Gallery: 'The Many Saints of Newark' Guide: 20 Details to Know About 'The Sopranos' Prequel Movie

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