Sopranos Remake Green Lit For Fall 2015
A remake of the HBO series The Sopranos has begun production, set for a fall 2015 debut. Actor Val Kilmer will produce, direct and star as mob boss Tony Soprano, according to television industry insiders. Kilmer, best known for 1995âs Batman ForeverÂ and director Oliver Stoneâs 1991 rock biopic The Doors is confident that The Sopranos II, an eight-part miniseries, will be appreciated by the millions of fans devoted to the old series, while introducing new fans to the backstory of how Tony Soprano became Tony Soprano. The SopranosÂ was one of televisionâs most successful programs during its six-season run; famously ending in 2007 with a still discussed and hotly debated ten-second blackout, which sent viewers scrambling to adjust their sets and check their cable connections. The late actor James Gandolfini portrayed New Jersey family man and mob boss Tony Soprano, pulled in several directions by two families â his own, and the organized crime family he led. Pressures and demands lead him to seek psychiatric help. Sources closely involved with the production say Kilmerâs up to the challenge of portraying one of the most powerful and iconic television characters ever created. One production assistant acknowledged that this remake in particular is a touchy subject for fans, especially after the death of James Gandolfini in 2013. âMillions of fans werenât happy with how the show wrapped up, including Kilmer,â said the assistant, âBut this time, fans will definitely know whether Tony lives or dies at the end.â These days, Kilmerâs headlines have more to do with his dramatic weight loss than for his dramatic acting. âKilmer wanted to portray a younger Tony,â explained the assistant, âso he needed to look the part. Heâs put a lot of work into this.â The timeline for the remake begins shortly before Tony marries Carmela, portrayed by actress Emma Stone. Hollywood veteran Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck, Steel Magnolias) plays Tonyâs mother Livia, filling the shoes of the late Nancy Marchand, and Giovanni Ribisi is cast as Tonyâs uncle Junior, according to information provided by casting agents involvedÂ with the production. One thingâs for sure, Sopranos original creator and executive producer David Chase has nothing to do with this independent production, although he has previously hinted at a possible prequel of his own. Kilmerâs reason for producing the remake clearly comes from Chaseâs decision to leave Tonyâs ultimate fate up to the viewerâs imagination. Kilmer not only disliked the final scene but also felt there was much more of Tony Sopranoâs back story that needed telling. Whether audiences will accept Kilmerâs vision â and the actor himself â wonât be known until the fall 2015 premiere. Die-hard fans unwilling to shed the image of Gandolfini as the definitive Tony Soprano will be the showâs toughest audience. As yet, no members of the original cast or production staff have publicly commented on the new production.