“The Many Saints of Newark,” the highly anticipated prequel film to “The Sopranos,” was released in theaters and on HBO Max on Friday where it will stream exclusively for the next month. Fans of the popular HBO series will get to see the making of Tony Soprano in the new crime drama starring Michael Gandolfini as a younger version of the character made famous by his late father, James Gandolfini. Directed by Alan Taylor, “The Many Saints of Newark” features an all-star cast that includes Leslie Odom Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Corey Stoll, Jon Bernthal, Michael De Rossi, Billy Magnussen, John Magaro, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga. “It’s incredible. Full circle,” Michael Gandolfini said during an interview on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” earlier this week. “To have gotten to work with Vera and John and Alesandra and Leslie, the caliber of actors as a young actor, it was surreal. And the fact that David trusted me to play Tony, which is one of the greatest characters [in TV history].”
Because he was a child when the series was filmed, Michael Gandolfini never watched the show until auditioning for the movie. “I didn’t know what Tony was,” the 22-year-old actor revealed. “I’ve seen it now…I watched the first season during the audition process. I was like ‘I’ll stay with the first season and then I went on and on.’ I became a fan of the show just like everyone else.” “The Many Saints of Newark” shares the story of a teenage Tony growing up in one of the most crime-ridden eras in the history of Newark, New Jersey. As he steps into manhood, rival gangsters are on the rise challenging the stronghold that the DiMeo crime family’s (a.k.a. the Sopranos) has over the city amid increasingly racial division between Black and Italian communities. Tony meanwhile, gets entangled between the changing times while his uncle, Richard “Dickie” Moltisanti (Nivola), struggles to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities. But his influence helps to transform the impressionable teen into the all-powerful mob boss. In order to watch “The Many Saints to Newark,” you’ll have to be signed up to the HBO Max ad-free plan ($14.99 a month). For bargain hunters looking to save a few bucks, there are different ways to sign up under a free trial, one being with Hulu on HBO Max. New subscribers can add HBO Max to any Hulu plan for an additional $14.99 a month after a free seven-day trial. That means you can join today and instantly stream exclusive HBO Max content (for free), in addition to HBO programs that are available on Hulu (plans start at $5.99 a month but will increase to $6.99 on October 8).
Another great deal: Verizon Fios offers a week free of HBO Max when you add the subscription to a Verizon internet plan. As for cable subscribers, if you already have HBO then you’re automatically subscribed to HBO Max at no additional charge (be sure to check with your provider for further details). AT&T is another way to get free HBO Max included with your cell phone package, internet, or streaming subscription. AT&T’s Unlimited Elite plan ($50 a month for four lines) comes with free HBO Max, as does the AT&T Fiber Internet 1000 plan ($60 a month). DirecTV Stream’s Choice Plan ($84.99 a month) includes three months of free HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax, and EPIX, along with Live TV, 45,000 on-demand titles, and 20 hours of DVR storage. “The Many Saints of Newark” is just one of dozens of Warner Bros. movies that received a simultaneous streaming release for the first 31 days after the theater debut. Besides new movies, HBO Max offers tens of thousands of hours of content that includes blockbuster films, epic TV series, and original shows such as “Gossip Girl,” “The White Lotus,” and “Scenes from a Marriage” along with this year’s Emmy-winning originals: “I May Destroy You,” “Mare of Easttown,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Lovecraft Country,” and “Hacks.” The year of Warner Bros. releases may be winding down, but it’s not over just yet. “The Many Saints of Newark” joins “Cry Macho” and “Malignant” among the new movies to receive simultaneous streaming and theater releases. Next in line: the sci-fi adventure, “Dune,” slated for release later this month, and “The Matrix 4,” which arrives on HBO Max in December. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
