When The Sopranos ended with a jolting switch to a black screen in 2007, creator David Chase refused to be drawn on whether lead character Tony Soprano had died.
Now, more than a decade later, he has finally confirmed that Tony did die and was likely killed.
Despite the fact that the seven-time Emmy Award-winning writer had always anticipated writing the murder of Tony, things did not go as planned, noting that the ending scene he had in mind wasn’t executed (no pun intended).
“The scene I had in my mind was not that scene. Nor did I think of cutting to black,” Chase told the outlet of the infamously divisive ending that had some people believe that the cable station went out.
He also said that in the beginning of every show, Tony returned to New Jersey from a New York meeting in his car. So the last scene could be a reverse journey leading to his death.
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However, while on a drive two years before the renowned HBO series’ finale, Chase was inspired by “a little restaurant.”
“And for some reason I thought, ‘Tony should get it in a place like that.’ Why? I don’t know.”
Tony (played by James Gandolfini) sits with his family inside Holsten’s restaurant, which was inspired by the one on “Ocean Park Boulevard” in the last episode, “Made in America.”
The screen goes black after an unidentified man comes and sits at the bar. Though Chase was prepared for Tony’s death, he was “bothered” and not prepared for the internet “uproar” that ensued.
“What was annoying was how many people wanted to see Tony killed. That bothered me.”
Chase added, in part: “But don’t tell me you don’t love him in some way, don’t tell me you’re not on his side in some way...You want justice done? You’re a criminal after watching this s*** for seven years.”
Chase may have killed the boss off the show, but he still doesn’t want people to wish death on Tony.
And with that, we can all get a sweet slumber after finally getting the answer to arguably one of the most burning questions in over a decade.
Check out the full interview here.
