Top 10 Things to Remember Before The Sopranos Prequel The Many Saints of Newark

The film is a prequel to the TV series “The Sopranos”, and while knowledge of the show probably isn’t necessary to enjoy the story at face value, it would certainly help. The movie will be taking place throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, with the Newark riots of 1967 serving as a major catalyst for the plot. As such, the story occurs a few decades prior to the events of “The Sopranos’” pilot, which was set in 1998. Many beloved characters will be returning for the prequel (obviously in significantly younger form), and it’s possible that events referenced in the show will be portrayed in full throughout the movie. Maybe an eighth re-watch is in order?

Viewers heard a lot about Tony’s father throughout the show, but they didn’t see much of him outside of a few key flashbacks. But the movie looks to change that. It must be remembered that Tony and Johnny Boy (played on the show by Joseph Siravo) shared a complex relationship. While Tony idolizes his father, Dr. Melfi tries to help him see the truth. Johnny Boy was a narcissist who was always more concerned with the Family business than his own family. He even used his young children in his numerous criminal schemes. Tony is forced to make some difficult realizations throughout “The Sopranos” - one of which is that his father wasn’t a man worth idolizing.

While the film will span multiple decades, the Newark riots of 1967 will play a major role in the story. 1967 was one of the most tumultuous years in modern American history, and the so-called Long Hot Summer of 1967 saw 159 race riots breaking out across the country. The Newark riots began on July 12 after a Black cab driver was pulled over and beaten by two police officers. The National Guard was brought in, but the riot raged until July 17. 26 people were killed, 727 were injured, and nearly 1,500 arrested. It also resulted in the modern equivalent of roughly $80 million in damages.

“The Many Saints of Newark” depicts the Golden Age of the DiMeo crime family. By the time “The Sopranos” begins, Johnny Boy is dead and his brother Junior Soprano (played by Dominic Chianese) is an elderly shell of what he once was, easily overshadowed by his younger and more powerful nephew. The film will portray the reign of Johnny and Junior, played respectively by Jon Bernthal and Corey Stoll. It’s unclear exactly what we’ll see from the powerful brothers, but flashbacks throughout “The Sopranos” portray them as remorseless and violent individuals - like when they assaulted Mr. Satriale.

Janice Soprano is easily one of the most memorable characters on the show, proving a delightful mixture of hilarious and hateable. Her first appearance only comes in the second season, when she arrives to collect her ailing mother’s will and house. Prior to that, she was living out west, having fled the Soprano drama. She moved to Los Angeles in 1978, so it’s very possible that we will see her growing restless and fleeing Jersey. What we probably won’t see (although we certainly want to) is how she was banned from entering Canada. Granted, it’s entirely possible that Janice isn’t banned from Canada and is simply using it as an excuse to ignore Harpo.

One of the most important aspects in Tony’s character development is the robbing of Feech La Manna’s card game. Feech was a respected DiMeo capo in the ‘70s, and Tony, Silvio, and Jackie Aprile Sr. earned their stripes by robbing one of his card games. As this is integral to Tony’s rise as a career criminal, it’s very possible that we’ll see it take place in “The Many Saints of Newark”. The event also plays a major role in “The Sopranos”, as it indirectly leads to the demise of Jackie Jr. Ralph Cifaretto tells Jackie about his father’s famed robbery, and Jackie decides to replicate it by robbing Eugene Pontecorvo. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite as smoothly, and Jackie is whacked by Vito.

Fans heard a lot about Dickie Moltisanti throughout “The Sopranos”, but he was never seen. Fortunately, the entire plot of “The Many Saints of Newark'' will revolve around Dickie and his relationship with Tony. As revealed early on in the series, Christopher Moltisanti is not Tony’s nephew, despite what Tony continuously claims. That is simply an affectionate title, as Christopher is actually Tony’s first cousin once removed by marriage. Dickie Moltisanti (played in the film by Alessandro Nivola) is Carmela Soprano’s cousin, making Carmela and Christopher first cousins once removed. And as Tony and Carm met in high school, it’s very possible that we will see the beginnings of their courtship and the relationship that all three shared with each other.

Everyone knows that Tony Soprano never had the makings of a varsity athlete. And while this is mainly used as a running joke, it’s entirely possible that “The Many Saints of Newark” will make reference to it, and maybe even turn it into tragic character development. A few moments in the “Many Saints” trailer show Tony in a red and white high school football jacket, and the show often makes reference to Tony’s football career. In fact, he has a recurring dream about his old coach, indicating that he resents dropping out of school and not taking football seriously. Tony (played by Michael Gandolfini, the son of original Tony actor James Gandolfini) even says in the trailer that he “wants to go to college” - perhaps through a football scholarship?

The fifth season episode “In Camelot” is paramount in understanding the relationship between Tony and his father, as it’s when Tony’s idolization of Johnny begins to crumble. This perception is told through the lens of Johnny’s mistress, Fran Felstein, whom Tony meets while visiting his father’s grave. In 1975, Johnny was with Fran when Livia suffered a miscarriage, and Tony lied to his mother to cover up Johnny’s infidelity. However, Livia is a smart woman, and didn’t believe a word of their silly story. As this important event takes place in ‘75, it’s entirely possible that we’ll see it occur in “The Many Saints of Newark”.

The most important thing to remember going into “The Many Saints of Newark” are the circumstances surrounding Dickie’s death. In the fourth season premiere, Tony gives Chris the address of the retired policeman who supposedly killed Dickie, and Chris kills him in retaliation. However, the show remains ambiguous regarding the truth, and it’s entirely possible that Tony simply manipulated Christopher to conduct business. Finally, after nearly 20 years of frustrating ambiguity, the mystery may finally be answered, and the truth revealed.