David Chase in Paramount Deal for First Feature Film

HOLLYWOOD, May 9: David
Chase, the Emmy Award-winning creator of the HBO hit The Sopranos, has inked a deal with Paramount Pictures to
write, direct and produce his first feature film.

Chase has a long-standing
relationship with Brad Grey, the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, who
was his producing partner on the acclaimed mob drama.

"Brad has always been
adventurous as a producer and looked for different ways of doing things,"
said Chase. "I look forward to once again working with him, and now his
team. For years, Brad has been a great partner, who helped enable me to do what
I need to creatively."

"David is one of the
great storytellers of our time, and his debut as a filmmaker is both highly
anticipated and long overdue," added Grey. "In truth, David has been
creating cinematic-quality filmed drama for more than a decade—spanning
nine seasons and 86 episodes of The Sopranos. Having worked with David as a producer, I'm
delighted to be with him again and to bring his unique vision to the big
screen."

—By Mansha Daswani