The Sopranos aired its final episode on HBO back in 2007 and its (at the time) controversial ending further cemented the series as one of the best in television history. The acclaim for the groundbreaking series has never waned over the years, but the emergence of streaming has given the story of Tony Soprano a second life here in the 2020s. The Sopranos has been a popular streaming option for WarnerMedia since HBO Max launched last year, but the release of the prequel film The Many Saints of Newark has seen the show climb even higher in the streaming ranks, breaking multiple records in the process.
The Many Saints of Newark turns back the clock on the Sopranos franchise to tell a story Dickie Moltisanti, father of Christopher Moltisanti and mentor to young Tony Soprano. The film debuted in theaters and on HBO Max on October 1st, and while it was a modest success at the box office, it's been a massive hit on the streaming service. According to Variety, The Many Saints of Newark was the most-watched movie on HBO Max last week, tripling the views of the next film in line. It also turned viewers back on to The Sopranos.
While The Sopranos has always been a good performer on HBO Max, its viewership skyrocketed with the release of The Many Saints of Newark. The series rose 65% in viewership week-over-week after Newark premiered, delivered the highest daily viewership of any title in HBO Max's history on Sunday, and broke records for weekly viewership of a TV series. Thanks to the arrival of The Many Saints of Newark, The Sopranos has turned into a streaming behemoth, at least for a little while.
"We knew there would be interplay, but we were surprised. The Sopranos is such a popular series. It pops in and out of the Top 10 from time to time, and it's not a juggernaut like Friends in terms of breadth, but it does very well," Andy Forssell, executive vice president and general manager of WarnerMedia Direct-to-Consumer, told Variety.
Even though The Many Saints of Newark made less than $5 million at the box office in its first weekend, the effect it has had on WarnerMedia's streaming service is certainly giving executives reason to celebrate. Subscribers are watching more Sopranos than ever before, and Newark has a ton of viewership on its own, giving HBO Max two victories for the price of one.
Have you been rewatching The Sopranos lately? What did you think of The Many Saints of Newark? Let us know in the comments!
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