James Gandolfini’s son Michael Gandolfini has downplayed the likelihood of returning for another Sopranos sequel. Michael played a younger version of his father’s iconic character Tony Soprano in the 2021 spinoff The Many Saints of Newark.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight recently, Michael wouldn’t completely rule out the possibility of Tony Soprano returning but insisted the decision was entirely up to franchise creator David Chase.
Michael Gandolfini Addresses The Likelihood of New Sopranos Prequel
“[Let’s set] the record straight. You know, it’s David’s universe, it’s up to David ultimately,” he clarified. “I know that David’s working on some other things, not Sopranos related, which would be exciting.”
Michael added that he remained hopeful he would have the chance to work with Chase again someday, even if not for a Sopranos-related project.
“I’d love to work with David but I think Tony [Soprano] is probably set to rest now for good,” he said. “Who knows? Who knows? But my guess would be that that character, [we’ve] now closed the book on it.”
The actor went on: “I am so honored that I got to be a part of that story. I got to be a small part of that huge [Sopranos] world and that is one of the greatest gifts that has ever really been a part of my career. I’m grateful for it, but I’m ready to move on and be in new things.”
“My guess would be that that character, [we’ve] now closed the book on it.”
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Michael’s next role will put him back in the criminal underworld, this time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has been cast as Daniel Blake, the protege of crime boss-turned-politician Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again.
“People are going to love this show,” Michael promised. “I was a fan when I was young, and [I’d] run around in my backyard. It’s unbelievable to be here today and I think people are going to love it. Vincent is unbelievable, Charlie [Cox], Jon [Bernthal], everyone who comes back [from Daredevil], it’s remarkable.”
Teasing his character Daniel Blake’s journey, Michael hinted: “I like to stick right in the middle [between good and evil]. It’s a fight for my soul, which way am I going to go? Good [or] bad? We’ll just have to see.”
Daredevil: Born Again takes place during Fisk’s attempt to rehabilitate his public image by running for mayor of New York City. His old nemesis Matt Murdock (Cox) remains committed to his fight for justice, putting him on a collision course with the scheming politician.
Michael recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he felt a “big responsibility” to satisfy longtime fans of the previous Daredevil show on Netflix.
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“You feel the pressure of bringing something completely new in,” he admitted. “You want to further the story, but you also want to respect the past. I was a huge fan [of the original Daredevil show] as 16-year-old, going to high school, and now I get to be in it. So, it’s a lot of pressure, but, honestly, you get to work with amazing actors. You get to work with people who that take you along, and can show you, ‘This is how we did it previously. This is the vibe. This is the tone.’ And you just follow them. So, it truly is a dream come true.”
The actor then addressed connections between the Netflix series and Born Again: “This is picking up years after the original show. It’s not a Season 4. It is new people, it’s a new world, time has changed. But, it absolutely is a continuation of the feelings, the people, and the story arcs that were happening in the original, just, they’re 10 years later, and what’s going on now. So, that’s where some of the new people come in and shake things up.”
