James Gandolfini's son Michael transforms into a young Tony Soprano as he is seen for the first time on the set of prequel The Many Saints of Newark with co-star Jon Bernthal
- The plot of the mob prequel is set in the era of the Newark riots in the 1960s, when African-Americans and Italians in New Jersey embroiled in an often fatal feud
- The Sopranos centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his dealings with his family and The Family while also seeking treatment for panic attacks
- Show star James Gandolfini died from a heart attack in 2013 aged 51
- He won numerous awards including Golden Globes, Emmys and SAG Awards for his performance as Tony Soprano - widely regarded as one of the greatest performances in television history
- The Many Saints of Newark is set for release on September 25, 2020
It is the hotly anticipated The Sopranos prequel which tells the tale of the formative years of New Jersey gangster Tony, portrayed by James Gandolfini in the original series.
And the legendary late actor's son Michael transformed into a young Tony Soprano as he was seen on the set of The Many Saints of Newark for the first time in New York on Tuesday.
Michael, 19, whose father died from a heart attack in 2013, was the spitting image of his award-winning dad as he got into character to film the mafia flick set in 1960s Newark.
Family: Perfect role: James Gandolfini's son Michael transformed into a young Tony Soprano as he was seen on the set of prequel The Many Saints of Newark for the first time in New York on Tuesday
Mafia: The Walking Dead star Jon Bernthal, 42, was every inch the crime boss as he walked onto set, with the sighting his first appearance on set
Michael donned a flowing brunette wig, paired with a denim jacket and flares as he got into character on-set, filming alongside The Walking Dead star Jon Bernthal, 42.
This also marked the first time Jon had been seen on-set, with his participation in the drama announced earlier this year, although his exact role is being kept tightly under wraps.
The teen actor, who flashed a beaming smile as he filmed, was spotted climbing into a vintage car with Jon, before shooting a brooding look into the distance.
Jon channelled a 60s Mafia boss in a leather coat and high-waisted trousers, paired with slicked back locks.
Spitting image: Michael, 19, whose father died from a heart attack in 2013, was the spitting image of his award-winning dad as he got into character to film the mafia flick set in 1960s Newark
Mobsters: Michael donned a flowing brunette wig, paired with a denim jacket and flares as he got into character on-set (above with David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, who co-wrote the upcoming film adaptation)
Before The Family: The teen actor, was spotted climbing into a vintage car with Jon, whose role is being kept tightly under wraps, before shooting a brooding look into the distance
The duo were also seen running through scenes with David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, who co-wrote the upcoming film adaptation.
The plot of the mob prequel is set in the era of the Newark riots in the 1960s, when African-Americans and Italians in New Jersey embroiled in an often fatal feud.
The film also stars Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, and John Magaro.
Coming soon: The teen actor flashed a beaming smile as he filmed gritty scenes
Drama: Michael looked excited to play the iconic role made famous by his father
Good spirits: The cast and crew enjoyed a quick chat between scenes
Wow: Jon looked every inch the mobster in a leather coat and high-waisted trousers, paired with slicked back locks
Under wraps: The pair turned the clock back as they climbed into a vintage car
Alessandro Nivola plays Dickie Moltisanti. He was the father of the character Christopher Moltisanti, played by the incomparable Michael Imperioli in The Sopranos
Alessandro's Dickie Moltisanti will be familiar, at least in name, to any fan of the iconic HBO show as it is the surname of Christopher Moltisanti, played by the incomparable Michael Imperioli.
Dickie was never seen during the drama's tenure on television but referenced several times as a sort of mentor of Tony Soprano, who was famously played by James Gandolfini.
Filming: The stars got into character on the set of the prequel
Brooding: Jon looked handsome as he filmed scenes with Michael
Gritty: The plot of the mob prequel is set in the era of the Newark riots in the 1960s, when African-Americans and Italians in New Jersey embroiled in an often fatal feud
Menacing: Jon cut a sombre figure as he filmed new scenes for the prequel
The Soprano family tree is a bit of a twisted one as Dickie is the cousin of Tony's wife Carmela (Edie Falco), however Tony refers to her second cousin Christopher (Imperioli) solely as his nephew.
Dickie is 'a charismatic but violent made man who falls in love with his father's much younger bride, a recent immigrant from Italy,' according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Sopranos centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his dealings with his family and The Family while also seeking treatment for panic attacks.
The hit show was one of the first of it's kind and ran for six seasons on HBO from 1999 to 2007.
Chat: Michael chatted with David between takes on the set
Good spirits: Jon cracked a relaxed smile as he caught up with David
Cool customer: David channelled his inner mob boss as he posed up against a car
Looking good: The star shot a sombre look as he climbed into a waiting car
Wow factor: Jon looked handsome as he transformed into a 60s hunk for the shoot
It made a star of actor James, won numerous awards including Golden Globes, Emmys and SAG Awards, and is often credited for the kicking off the stellar trend of television dramas in the 2000s and 2010s.
Gandolfini’s performance as Tony Soprano is widely regarded as one of the greatest performances in television history.
Haunting: The drama is set for release in September 2020
Coming soon: Jon chatted with David as filming got underway
Legendary: The Sopranos centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his dealings with his family and The Family while also seeking treatment for panic attacks
Gandolfini died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting Rome, Italy, on June 19, 2013. He was 51.
Earlier this month, Michael told TMZ that he's psyched to be playing his famous father's character as a young man in the prequel.
'It's exciting to step into the shoes of my dad,' he said. 'I'm real excited, it's going to be great!' he said.
Newark is set for release September 25, 2020.
Much missed: Earlier this month, Michael told TMZ that he's psyched to be playing his famous father's character as a young man in the prequel (pictured with James in 2007)
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