Movies

‘The Many Saints of Newark’ Release Has ‘Sopranos’ Fans Lighting up Social Media

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The Sopranos sequel movie The Many Saints of Newark is here at last, and just about everyone seems to have an opinion on it. The movie stars Michael Gandolfini as a younger version of Tony Soprano – originally played by his later father James Gandolfini. So far, the movie has mixed reviews, in many cases for very disparate reasons.

The Many Saints of Newark premiered on Friday, Oct. 1 both in theaters and on HBO Max. It has a lot to live up to, as it is based on one of the most beloved and analyzed TV series of all time. The Sopranos arguably gave rise to what some call “the golden age of television,” and certainly the genre known as “prestige TV.” That means every aspect of The Many Saints of Newark was up for debate, and social media did not disappoint.

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In the hours after the movie premiered, posts began trickling in. They joined already middling reviews of the movie from critics who saw the world premiere at the Tribeca fall preview last month, or got a screener afterward. Right now, the movie has a 74 percent rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 62 percent score among general audiences.

You can find out why for yourself by watching The Many Saints of Newark in theaters or on HBO Max, but if you’re just looking for the general consensus, we will try to avoid spoilers here. Scroll down for a look at what Sopranos fans are saying about their new prequel movie.

Hit

Some fans jumped right into singing the movie’s praises – especially their favorite performances from the cast. Many marveled at the skillful casting of new actors to play familiar characters.

Titular Connection

The title of the movie is based on a translation of a few characters’ last name – “Moltisanti” in Italian literally means “many saints.” However, as this realization hit social media, some users were already feeling jaded about it.

In the Spirit

Many fans got into the spirit of the movie by adopting the aesthetic of both The Sopranos and this prequel, posting about their plans to dress like characters, eat Italian food or mimic some of their less savory behaviors. Some also shared the characters’ Italian-American cultural pride with varying levels of irony.

References

Some fans admitted that their main interest in The Many Saints of Newark was picking out all the callbacks and references to The Sopranos. Being the first in the room to notice these subtle hints was at the top of their priority list.

Reviews

Some fans found themselves prematurely disappointed as the reviews rolled in before they could see the movie. They hoped the lackluster reviews wouldn’t impact their enjoyment of the film.

Homage

Fans debated about whether this prequel lives up to the original or not at great length, but everyone seemed to have a firm opinion on the matter one way or the other. Few were left in between.

Gandolfini

Finally, for many fans, the highlight of this movie was watching Michael Gandolfini play the same character as his father, and honoring James Gandolfini’s memory.

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