HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — David Chase, the man behind the hit HBO series "The Sopranos," is headed for the big screen.
The 52-year-old New York native has finalized an agreement with Paramount Pictures in which he will write, produce and direct his first feature film, the studio announced Thursday.
Chase is a longtime associate of Paramount Studios chairman Brad Grey, who was his producing partner on the acclaimed mob drama.
"David is one of the great storytellers of our time, and his debut as a filmmaker is both highly anticipated and long overdue," Grey said in a statement. "In truth, David has been creating cinematic-quality filmed drama for more than a decade — spanning nine seasons and 86 episodes of 'The Sopranos.' "
Chase won four Emmys for his work on "The Sopranos," which ended a six-season run in June 2007. His television career as a writer, producer and director spans three decades and includes such programs as "The Rockford Files," "I'll Fly Away" and "Northern Exposure."
Like the heavily-guarded secrecy that always surrounded his cable drama, Chase's first big screen project is also somewhat of a mystery. The studio would only say the project is "an original drama."
There was also no word on when the film will begin production or be released.
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