The Sopranos creator has celebrated the seminal drama's 20th anniversary by sharing details of the forthcoming prequel film.

David Chase has announced that The Many Saints of Newark will feature a young version of Tony Soprano, the character made famous by James Gandolfini.

The project - a co-production between New Line and Warner Bros - was confirmed in 2018. It'll be directed by Alan Taylor, who oversaw nine episodes of the series, with Alessandro Nivola starring as Dickie Moltisanti, the father of Sopranos character Christopher (Michael Imperioli).

It'll be Dickie who guides viewers through the film which will focus on the origins of the mob in “the turbulence of racial tensions between African Americans and Italian Americans” in 1970s New Jersey.

Chase has revealed the film generated from an interest in Tony's childhood.

“I was interested in Newark and life in Newark at that time,” he told Deadline. “I used to go to down there every Saturday night for dinner with my grandparents. But the thing that interested me most was Tony’s boyhood. I was interested in exploring that.“

He continued: “The movie will deal with the tensions between the blacks and whites at the time, and Tony Soprano will be part of this, but as a kid.“

Chase added that he“s ”still very worried“ about the outcome of the film, but was keen to explore a time when the mafia was more refined - a far cry from the tracksuit-wearing posse depicted in The Sopranos.

Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Show all 39 1 /39 Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Lorraine Bracco as Dr Jennifer Melfi in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Michael Imperioli as Spider in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tobin Bell as Major Zwingli in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tobin Bell as a parole officer in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Sirico as Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Sirico as Tony Stacks in Goodfellas Copyright © 1990 Warner Bros. Inc. Credit: © 1990 Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Pyxurz. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Vincent as Billy Batts in Goodfellas Copyright © 1990 Warner Bros. Inc. Credit: © 1990 Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Pyxurz. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Vincent Pastore as Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Vincent Pastore as Man with Coatrack in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Suzanne Shepherd as Mary DeAngelis (Carm's mother) in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Suzanne Shepherd as Karen's Mother in Goodfellas Copyright © 1990 Warner Bros. Inc. Credit: © 1990 Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Pyxurz. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Albanese as Uncle Pat Blundetto in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Albanese as Mob Lawyer in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Darrow as Larry Boy Barese in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Darrow as Sonny Bunz in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Lip as Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Lip as Frankie The Wop in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Pellegrino as Bureau Chief Frank Cubitoso in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Pellegrino as Johnny Dio in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Chuck Low as Shlomo Teittleman in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Chuck Low as Morris Kessler in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Paul Herman as Beansie Gaeta in The Sopranos. Was also Dealer in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Nicole Burdette as Barbara Soprano Giglione in The Sopranos. Was also Carbone's Girlfriend in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Marianne Leone as Joanne Moltisanti in The Sopranos. Was also Tuddy's Wife in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Daniel P. Conte as Faustino 'Doc' Santoro in The Sopranos. Was also Dr. Dan in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts John 'Cha Cha' Ciarcia as Albie Cianflone in The Sopranos. Was also Batts' Crew #1 in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Angela Pietropinto as Helen Barone in The Sopranos. Was also Cicero's Wife in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Susan Varon as Susan in Goodfellas. Was also Joan Gillespie in The Sopranos. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Adonis was Guest #1 in The Sopranos and Anthony Stabile in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Nancy Cassaro was Joanne Moltisanti in The Sopranos and Joe Buddha's Wife in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Victor Collichio was Joe in The Sopranos and in Henry's 60's crew in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Anthoy Alessandro was a waiter in The Sopranos and in Henry's 60's crew in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Gaetano LoGiudice was Bada Bing Patron in The Sopranos and in Herny's 60s Crew in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Vito Antuofermo was Bobby Zanone in The Sopranos and Prizefighter in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Gene Canfield was Police Officer in The Sopranos and Prison Guard in Booth in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Anthony Caso was Martin Scorsese in The Sopranos and Truck Hijacker in Goodfellas

“It is going to depict when it was good,” he said. “The mafia was very polished at that time, how they dressed and what they did. Those traditions were followed more loosely in the series. These weren’t guys who wore tracksuits, back then.”

The Sopranos, which co-starred Edie Falco, Steven Van Zandt and Joe Pantoliano, ran from 1999 to 2007. Gandolfini passed away in 2013.

The Many Saints of Newark is expected to arrive late 2019.