According to a recent article on Looper, David Chase, the creator of the iconic hit “The Sopranos” says that a sequel is off the table but a prequel just might be in the running. Of course, a sequel wouldn’t work as the star of the show, the late, great James Gandolfini is no longer with us. Could anyone else possibly play the role of the adult Tony? No sequel is sad news for those who wanted to know just who came through the door of the diner before things faded to black, but great news for die-hard (excuse the pun) fans who are still suffering from Tony withdrawal. But what would it look like? Let’s imagine what “The Sopranos” the prequel or “Growing up Soprano” would be like.
First, we need a very talented, big, burly young actor to play teenage Tony. Tony was fat as a kid but then turned into something of a stud muffin and dated Artie’s wife Charmaine during a brief breakup with Carmela. Who could play him? Dye Aaron Hall’s hair a bit and you have the sneakily charming Tony, right? Just imagine Robin Lord Taylor as a young Artie Bucco (oh that smirk and those piercing eyes).
The prequel would give us the “missing years” of Tony’s relationship with his narcissistic mother and her curious affection for meat. Also Uncle Junior would still be young enough to be a formidable presence. I would love to see more of both of Tony’s sisters, particularly Janice who could be expertly played by Nikki Blonsky from Hairspray. The Soprano family is so complex and so very disturbed that if the prequel never traveled outside of the close family unit it would make many households order HBO again.
Questions a prequel would answer include what made Artie such a pushover. How did Tony handle his panic attacks in high school long before he met Dr. Melfi? Was Carmela always kind of a gold digger who dated Tony because he was a cool macho Italian guy? How long did she know him before she knew what his family was really all about? Who could play Carmela? How about Hayden Panettiere? She has the range to play the high school sweetheart who will someday become a very frustrated wife. The possibilities are endless. No doubt many young actors would be vying for the chance to play one of these fascinating characters.
How did Tony work his way into the family life of crime? In the original scripts, we see hints and get glimpses but when exactly was the point of no return. What was it like for Tony B. who took the rap for Tony as he was packing to head off to serve time? So many questions still linger that we don’t want a Soprano prequel–we need one!
What would be particularly heartbreaking would be if they included Adrianna as a little girl following the big boys around and flirting with the young Christopher. Knowing her fate on the show that would be too difficult to watch.
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