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As any fan of The Sopranos knows, New Jersey plays a crucial role in mob boss Tony Soprano’s story. Naturally, it makes sense that the classic HBO series’ prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark, was filmed on-location around the state, as well as several boroughs in neighboring New York City. But where exactly was The Many Saints of Newark filmed? Let’s break it down.
The late James Gandolfini’s son Michael Gandolfini stars in the film as a young Tony Soprano, who’s growing up in 1960s New Jersey as tensions between Italian-Americans and African-Americans are reaching a boiling point during the civil rights movement. Tony soon gets caught up in the violent gang war that his uncle Richard “Dickie” Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola) is involved in, setting the stage for him to become the iconic TV character viewers first met in The Sopranos.
The movie is a can’t-miss event for Sopranos fans, and if you’re wondering if you can visit any of the filming spots in real life, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to get the scoop on The Many Saints of Newark‘s filming locations.
WHERE WAS THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK FILMED?
Staying true to the material, much of The Many Saints of Newark was filmed around New Jersey and New York City. The movie was shot in Newark itself, as well as other Jersey towns such as Bloomfield, Jersey City, and Paterson.
Scenes set at the iconic Sopranos hangout spot, Satriale’s Pork Store, were filmed near the intersection of Mill and Market streets in Paterson. The Many Saints of Newark also filmed at Holsten’s ice cream parlor in Bloomfield, which was the setting for the famous final scene of The Sopranos‘ 2007 series finale.
Additionally, several spots in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Yonkers stood in for 1960s Jersey.
The Many Saints of Newark also recreates the Newark riots of 1967, which were largely filmed in downtown Newark, on two blocks of the city’s Branford Place.
According to production designer Bob Shaw, shooting on location while maintaining the authenticity of the era was particularly challenging.
“In a period film, you try to control how much you’re outside, because you have a myriad of things — street signs, Muni meters — and all these things didn’t exist back then,” Shaw said in a recent interview with Untapped Cities. “So that’s the challenge in doing so many excteriors and on so many big commercial streets.”
The Many Saints of Newark premieres in theaters and HBO Max on Friday, October 1.
