Soprano Creator David Chase Signs “Massive” First-Look Deal with HBO

However The Sopranos was good…The Sopranos– redefining, almost single-handedly, the artistic perception of cable television for an entire generation – its creator, David Chase, has never been the most prolific force. (A bit hilarious, its only TV credit since the end of the series in 2007 was a cameo voice, like himself, in an episode of BoJack Cavalier.) But now with Soprano prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark should arrive this weekend in both theaters, and the HBO Max, HBO just announced it landed a new deal to get more of Chase’s distinctive voice on the network he helped transform into one of the television powers of the 21st century.

It is by THR, which reports that Chase just signed a new “massive” global deal with the AT&T-owned network, giving HBO first reviews any projects it will develop over the next five years. This includes, of course, any new Soprano content, since, after more than a decade of resistance to all efforts to extend the series beyond its legendary controversial finale, Chase clearly softened the idea of ​​filling its backstory. (him and director Alan Taylor gave respectively “could” and “perhaps” to the idea of ​​a follow-up to Many saints.)

For those following, Chase threw exactly oneSoprano project since 2007, the messy but interesting writer-director’s film effort Does not weaken. Interestingly, he was developing a miniseries project at HBO in recent years – a sprawling exploration of early Hollywood history titled A ribbon of dreams– but ultimately decided not to sue him after the network offered him this he recently described to Alan Seppinwall as “a cheesy budget” to get it done.

HBO President Casey Bloys and President of Warner Bros. Picture Group, Toby Emmerich – who Chase says have been fundamentally tireless in his efforts to get more material from him over the years – both issued statements on the deal, with Bloys calling out Chase, “one of the most gifted storytellers in the film and television industry.

Unsurprisingly, the news comes as The Sopranos is apparently booming in streaming lists, propelled by the arrival of The Many Saints of Newark. You can read our – less than complimentary – review of the film here, and dive into Emily VanDerWerff’s full recaps of the original series here.