HBO’s Jon Bernthal-Led ‘Sopranos’ Spin-Off Is Officially a Streaming Hit
The “Sopranos” prequel film *The Many Saints of Newark*, starring Jon Bernthal as Johnny Soprano, is finding an audience through video-on-demand after performing poorly at cinemas. Its renewed popularity matters because the film failed to recoup its reported production costs on release and still lacks a US streaming home.
Released during a COVID-19 surge, the film cost $50 million to make and earned $13 million at the box office, far below its reported $100 million break-even point. The article says it has been a VOD hit for months, but gives no viewing figures or details of the platforms driving that success; it also highlights Bernthal’s busy year across film and television.
In short
- The “Sopranos” prequel is succeeding on VOD.
- It made $13 million against a $50 million budget in cinemas.
- The film still has no US streaming home.
Explained simply
The Sopranos is a crime drama about a New Jersey mob boss and his family. The Many Saints of Newark is a prequel film, set before the series, that explores the earlier generation of the Soprano family; Jon Bernthal plays Johnny Soprano, the father of the series’ central character, Tony.
The film was released in cinemas during a surge in COVID-19, when audience habits and cinema attendance were changing. Its reported $50 million production cost and $13 million box-office take fell short of the reported $100 million needed to break even, making its later performance through video-on-demand relevant to how the film may reach viewers and earn money.