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As it picks up the storytelling mantle of HBO’s classic TV series The Sopranos, The Many Saints of Newark takes a trip back to the days when young Anthony Soprano got his first tastes of organized crime. While no one was expecting any cameos from the cast of the hit show that creator David Chase was returning to, it appears that at least one of the beloved stars of The Sopranos can be confirmed as having taken part in the film. The only problem is, while Edie Falco did film a scene for The Many Saints of Newark as Carmela Soprano, it got scrapped before the final cut.
We learned this surprising and sad fact from the movie’s director, The Sopranos veteran Alan Taylor, after an interview he participated in for NME. As it turns out, several figures could have returned for an appearance in The Many Saints of Newark, as Taylor blew the lid off of the previously secretive shoot. Here’s what Alan Taylor had to say:
Yes, not to give away too much but, when you make a movie you’re not exactly sure the final shape it’s going to be and we, believe it or not, shot a few things that included other cast members.
According to further remarks made by Alan Taylor, this now deleted scene from The Many Saints of Newark almost started the film. Not much is revealed about the content of this scene, but knowing that Carmela Soprano might have opened the prequel, one can only imagine that the greatest mystery surrounding Tony Soprano’s legacy may have been clarified. You don’t assemble “other cast members” alongside Edie Falco just for a fun montage.
What’s even more interesting is the fact that Ms. Falco was even able to shoot a scene at all for The Many Saints of Newark, especially if you look at the timing of the production. With the Michael Gandolfini-led prequel starting its shoot in April 2019, that was only a couple months after Edie Falco was announced to star in James Cameron’s first Avatar sequel. But somehow the stars aligned, leaving Alan Taylor with another opportunity to praise Ms. Falco’s abilities:
We had Edie come in and she dressed up as Carmela and we shot something with her and it wound up not being in the final movie but it was a great excuse to see her again. She’s so ridiculously talented and she’s also one of these people who – and it seems to frequently be women – that manage to be perfect actors and also the sanest people you’ve ever met in your life.
Though she can’t bring herself to watch The Sopranos, and with a schedule that had to be getting busier after her recent signings, Edie Falco’s return for The Many Saints Of Newark just proves that Alan Taylor’s praise is absolutely true. Fans seeking out the film upon its release might be upset that we won’t get to see this Sopranos-invoking footage in the theatrical cut, and that’s to be expected. However, let’s hope that by time the home video release is prepped, there’s an inclusion of all this deleted material in the special features. giving the series’ loyal fans the ultimate conversation piece.
Soon The Many Saints of Newark will open in theaters, as it’s slated for an October 1 release date. But for the first 30 days, should you not feel safe enough to head to a theater near you, the film will be streaming on HBO Max. So if you want to binge the series that started it all alongside the movie that expands the lore, join the family by checking out the current subscription offer.
