‘Sopranos’ extends its run on HBO

Tony Soprano isn’t going down just yet.

The sixth season of the critically acclaimed mob drama “The Sopranos,” due in March, was supposed to be its last. But HBO said Thursday that in addition to those 12 episodes, it has now ordered eight more installments from creator David Chase. That batch will premiere in January 2007, with James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco continuing in the lead roles.

“When something is as remarkable as ‘The Sopranos,’ our audience would like to see it continue as long as possible, so we are thrilled that David Chase felt there are more stories to be told,” HBO Chairman Chris Albrecht said in a news release.