Alan Taylor to direct 'The Sopranos' prequel film

Director Alan Taylor will be helming a big screen prequel to hit HBO series "The Sopranos".

Written by show creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner, the films has been tentatively titled, "The Many Saints of Newark", reported Variety.

New Line recently bought the script of the prequel, which will be set against the backdrop of the Newark riots of the 1960s when African-Americans and Italians clashed.

Taylor, who has film credits such as "Thor: The Dark World" and "Terminator: Genisys", previously directed episodes of "The Sopranos" and won an Emmy in 2007 for Outstanding Directing for the episode "Kennedy and Heidi".

Chase will produce the film via his Chase Films banner with Nicole Lambert as an executive producer.

The hit HBO series, headlined by James Gandolfini, ran for six seasons and won 21 Emmys. Edie Falco, Steven Van Zandt, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, Steve Schirripa, and Tony Sirico also starred in the show.