Michael Gandolfini, the son of the late Sopranos star James Gandolfini, is to portray his father's iconic character Tony Soprano in the big screen prequel to the classic HBO crime series.
The Many Saints of Newark, which has been written by The Sopranos creator David Chase and one of the series' writers, Lawrence Konner, is set during the race riots in Newark, New Jersey in 1967 and has Game of Thrones and The Sopranos director Alan Taylor behind the lens.
It follows the young Tony Soprano as he is mentored by his uncle Dickie Moltisanti, played by Face/Off star Alessandro Nivola. The cast also includes The Punisher star Jon Bernthal and The Front Runner's Vera Farmiga.
"It's a profound honour to continue my dad's legacy while stepping into the shoes of a young Tony Soprano," said Michael Gandolfini, who is best known for his role in another HBO series, The Deuce.
"I'm thrilled that I am going to have the opportunity to work with David Chase and the incredible company of talent he has assembled for The Many Saints of Newark," the 19-year-old added in a statement to US entertainment industry website Deadline, which first reported his casting.
James Gandolfini died at the age of 51 in June 2013 after suffering a heart attack while on holidays with the then-13-year-old Michael in Rome.
