Tony Soprano returns to HBO as a Lawyer?!?!

For 86 episodes on HBO, The Sopranos had people riveted to watching every week, and people still talk about how the show ended.  Well Tony is coming back to HBO - sort of.

Jersey guy James Gandolfini has had the greatest success of his acting career, creating one of the most memorable characters in TV history as Tony Soprano, and The Sopranos is one of the most successful shows in HBO history.  A reunion seemed to be inevitable, and reports have James and HBO coming together on a new HBO series.

Gandolfini has been doing various projects for HBO since The Sopranos ended, including starring this past year in the Emmy nominated Cinema Verite with Tim Robbins and Diane Lane (who is up for an Emmy this weekend), and producing the multiple Emmy nominated Hemmingway & Gellhorn starring Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman (both up for Emmy Awards as well).

Now the new project for HBO and James will be Criminal Justice, a show that was a hit on the BBC and is based loosely around.  Gandolfini will play a lawyer who is down on his luck, and is seen patrolling police stations in NYC for potential clients.  The man from Westwood will get to drive through the tunnel to work as they will shoot this show on location in Manhattan.

The new HBO series will be ready in 2013, which should be a big year for Gandolfini.  besides a new HBO series, James is set to star opposite Steve Carell, Jim Carey and Steve Buscemi (another former Soprano) in the magician's comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, which is looking like a winner.