Cleaver (The Sopranos) Cleaver (The Sopranos) Cleaver is a metafictional film within a TV-series that serves as an important plot element toward the end of the HBO television drama series "The Sopranos". Although very little film material is actually shown in the series, its planning and development are discussed at large throughout multiple seasons of the show. The extent to which Sopranos character Christopher Moltisanti mixes confidential and personal information about the Soprano mob family into the story elements of Cleaver is the focal point throughout its development. After the project eventually materializes, Cleaver can be categorized as a direct-to-DVD mafia-slasher film, described
Cleaver (The Sopranos) as Nicky. Initially Moltisanti and Lupertazzi attempt to cast Ben Kingsley as the Mafia boss in the episode "Luxury Lounge", but Kingsley eventually turns down the part. "Cleaver"—originally titled "Pork Store Killer"—stars protagonist Michael, nicknamed "the Butcher". When Christopher proposes the plot to writer J.T. Dolan, he says the film is about a "young wiseguy, assassin, gets betrayed by his people. They whack him, leave his body parts in dumpsters all around the city. Long story short, he is put back together, by science...or maybe it's supernatural. And he gets payback on everyone who fucked him over, including the cunt