The Many Saints of Newark

Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for The Many Saints of Newark?

Directed by Alan Taylor, with Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Michael Gandolfini leading the cast, The Many Saints of Newark was produced by HBO Films with a confirmed budget of $50,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget category for crime films.

With a $50,000,000 budget, The Many Saints of Newark sits in the mid-range of studio releases. Marketing costs for a wide release at this level typically add $30–60 million, putting the break-even point near $125,000,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• Angela's Ashes (1999): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $13,042,112 → ROI: -74% • Dredd (2012): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $41,037,742 → ROI: -18% • Lord of War (2005): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $72,600,000 → ROI: 45% • Shall We Dance? (2004): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $170,128,460 → ROI: 240% • The Iron Giant (1999): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $23,300,000 → ROI: -53%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Talent & Director Compensation Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.

▸ Cinematography & Location Photography Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages — surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.

▸ Editorial & Sound Post-Production Precision editing — controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals — requires extended post-production schedules.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Michael Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Michela De Rossi Key roles: Alessandro Nivola as Dickie Moltisanti; Leslie Odom Jr. as Harold McBrayer; Michael Gandolfini as Teenage Tony Soprano; Ray Liotta as "Hollywood Dick" Moltisanti / Salvatore “Sally” Moltisanti

DIRECTOR: Alan Taylor CINEMATOGRAPHY: Kramer Morgenthau EDITING: Christopher Tellefsen PRODUCTION: HBO Films, New Line Cinema, Chase Films FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

The Many Saints of Newark earned $8,237,403 domestically and $4,800,000 internationally, for a worldwide total of $13,037,403. The film skewed heavily domestic (63%), suggesting strong North American appeal.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), The Many Saints of Newark needed approximately $125,000,000 to break even. The film fell $111,962,597 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $13,037,403 Budget: $50,000,000 Net: $-36,962,597 ROI: -73.9%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)

The Many Saints of Newark earned $13,037,403 against a $50,000,000 budget (-74% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

The underperformance may have increased risk aversion around mid-budget crime productions.

PRODUCTION NOTES

▸ Casting

150px|In November 2018, Alessandro Nivola was cast to star in the film as Dickie Moltisanti, the father of Christopher Moltisanti. Dickie never appeared in the show despite being mentioned, though Chase did not have any plans to feature the character physically then. Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Corey Stoll and Billy Magnussen were added to the cast that same month.

Michael Gandolfini, son of James Gandolfini, was cast in the role of young Tony. He was not immediately cast and had to audition for the role, but Taylor and Chase felt that they were right in casting him when Gandolfini thanked all the production team for allowing him to "say hello and goodbye again" to his father. To keep Gandolfini's performance from being too similar to that of his father, Taylor occasionally reshot a scene if Gandolfini acted like he were already an experienced gangster, as the young Tony is "still a kid" during the film. with Leslie Odom Jr. and Michela De Rossi joining in March, as well as John Magaro, who starred in Chase's debut feature film Not Fade Away (2012). Liotta had been previously approached by Chase to appear in the third or fourth seasons of The Sopranos, but the plan did not work out.

Edie Falco filmed scenes as her character Carmela Soprano which were intended to start the film, but her scenes were cut. Taylor explained, "There was some confusion as to how best launch the movie. How to start the movie. So we tried a few things and that was one of them. If you've seen the movie you'll see that we begin it in a very different way now but that wasn't always the idea".

▸ Filming & Locations

Principal photography began in Brooklyn on April 3, 2019, moved to Newark on May 7, and wrapped up in June 2019, with a $50 million budget. Retired Newark police officer Luther Engler served as a technical adviser for the film. Satriale's Pork Store was featured in The Sopranos and was recreated in Paterson. Planned reshoots were halted upon the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the filmmakers shot some aspects that improved the film's story. To accurately depict the riots, Taylor directly recreated some of the film shots from archival photos and footage of the event.

During post-production, there were discussions about whether the film's depiction of the Newark riots would still seem appropriate in the wake of the George Floyd protests, but Taylor concluded that the film's treatment of the riots would avoid controversy. Christopher Tellefsen worked as the film's editor. The editing process took longer than expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the film industry, though Taylor felt that the extended period helped him and Chase to discuss what the film's final cut would consist of.

[Filming] Principal photography began in Brooklyn on April 3, 2019, moved to Newark on May 7, and wrapped up in June 2019, with a $50 million budget. Retired Newark police officer Luther Engler served as a technical adviser for the film. Satriale's Pork Store was featured in The Sopranos and was recreated in Paterson. Planned reshoots were halted upon the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the filmmakers shot some aspects that improved the film's story. To accurately depict the riots, Taylor directly recreated some of the film shots from archival photos and footage of the event.

During post-production, there were discussions about whether the film's depiction of the Newark riots would still seem appropriate in the wake of the George Floyd protests, but Taylor concluded that the film's treatment of the riots would avoid controversy.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Summary: 4 nominations total

CRITICAL RECEPTION

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The site's critical consensus reads, "Even as its storytelling chafes at the edges of its cinematic constraints, The Many Saints of Newark proves The Sopranos allure is still powerful." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 48 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it a 77% positive score, with 60% saying they would definitely recommend it. In a positive review for the Chicago Sun-Times, Richard Roeper called the film "a sharply honed, darkly funny, ultra-violent and wildly entertaining late 1960s period piece" and an "immensely satisfying companion piece to The Sopranos", giving it 3.5 stars out of 4.

Owen Gleiberman of Variety called Many Saints "a sharp, lively, and engrossing movie, one that provides a fascinating running commentary on how the world of The Sopranos came into being" but noted "[the audience] can't help but notice the difference in tone" when compared to the series.