'Sopranos' prequel movie 'The Many Saints of Newark' in the works

If you did not stop believing, here, at long last, is your reward.

A long-rumored "Sopranos" prequel has been given the green light, Deadline reports.

"The Many Saints of Newark," a screenplay from "Sopranos" creator David Chase, has been picked up by New Line Cinema, the report says. The story is reportedly set in 1960s Newark, around the time of the Newark riots.

Chase, who grew up in Clifton and North Caldwell, co-wrote the script with "Sopranos" collaborator Lawrence Konner.

Talk of a prequel has been in the air since not long after the HBO series, which premiered in 1999, ended with an abrupt cut to black in 2007. Though series star James Gandolfini, who played Tony Soprano, died in 2013, the report says some "Sopranos" regulars will show up in the film.

In 2014, Chase, now 72, spoke to the Associated Press about a potential prequel.

"Even if I did it, it wouldn't be 'The Sopranos' that was on the air -- obviously at least one person is gone that we would need," he said, referring to Gandolfini. "There are a couple of eras that would be interesting for me to talk about, about Newark, New Jersey. One would be (the) late '60s, early '70s, about all the racial animosity, or the beginning, the really true beginning of the flood of drugs."

"The Sopranos" was largely set in northern New Jersey and often filmed there. The state's streets, businesses and highways functioned as familiar signposts in the acclaimed drama. In addition to Chase, series stars including Gandolfini, who grew up in Park Ridge, often had local ties.

Chase, who will serve as a producer on the film and will help pick a director, has often said that he based Tony Soprano's fraught relationship with his mother, Livia Soprano, on his relationship with his own mother.

It remains to be seen who from the Soprano family will show up in the prequel (presumably played by much younger actors). The actress who played Livia, Nancy Marchand, died in 2000, early in the show's run. Junior Soprano, Tony's uncle, was played by Dominic Chianese, who is now 87.

Tony's father, Giovanni Francis "Johnny Boy" Soprano, died before the series began and was occasionally depicted in flashbacks. In the flashbacks (see clip below), which were already partially set during the Newark riots, Bobby Boriello played a young Tony, Laurie Williams played young Livia, Joseph Siravo played Johnny Boy and Juliet Fox played young Janice Soprano, Tony's sister. (Aida Turturro played her as an adult.)

On Twitter, "Sopranos" fans reacted to the news, with some elated, making guesses as to which characters might be included, and others of the opinion that a good thing should be left well enough alone. Some said they had mixed feelings about a "Sopranos" story that would not feature Gandolfini.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.