Inside Move: 'Sopranos' sing sweetly

HBO, Gandolfini drop lawsuit, look for Chase to rejoin

By MICHAEL FLEMING, MELISSA GREGO

Albrecht

Gandolfini

"The Sopranos" clan has turned to killing each other with kindness, while agreeing to get back to work next month.

Both HBO topper Chris Albrecht and series star James Gandolfini issued statements Wednesday that were more reminiscent of endearments than any of the bitter epithets exchanged since the camps started duking it out over Gandolfini's salary.

"We are delighted that the great Jim Gandolfini will be back at work in the role he has created with such distinction," Albrecht's statement read.

Gandolfini offered: "I'm very happy that 'The Sopranos' will be back; it's a show that I love doing with people I love working with."

Since Brad Grey stepped in to unofficially mediate the brawl and both Gandolfini and HBO agreed to drop their lawsuits, plans are under way for Gandolfini, packing a sizable raise, to return to work on the fifth season of the mob hit during the first week of April.

The next hope for this now-happier family is to get series boss David Chase on board for a sixth season.