Jason Reitman’s upcoming film Saturday Night offers a riveting glimpse into the birth of Saturday Night Live. The trailer for this much-anticipated release, set to hit theaters on October 11, showcases the frantic behind-the-scenes moments leading up to the iconic sketch show’s debut.
The film, helmed by Reitman, zeroes in on the nerve-wracking final 90 minutes before SNL’s inaugural broadcast on October 11, 1975. The trailer vividly captures the tension between Lorne Michaels, portrayed by Gabriel LaBelle, and NBC executive Dick Ebersol, played by Cooper Hoffman. In a standout moment from the trailer, Ebersol challenges Michaels, questioning the audacity of launching a counterculture show with an inexperienced team. “Lorne, 90 minutes of live television by a group of 20-year-olds who have never made anything? Do you ever stop and wonder why they said yes to a counterculture show starring total unknowns, with zero narrative and even less structure? They want you to fail,” Ebersol says. Michaels’ stoic response: “We just have to make it to air.”
The screenplay, crafted by Reitman and Gil Kenan, is based on interviews with surviving cast members, writers, and crew who witnessed the tumultuous launch of the show that has since become a cultural cornerstone. The film, initially known as SNL 1975, is produced by Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld, and Peter Rice, with Erica Mills and JoAnn Perritano serving as executive producers.
The film’s cast includes Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, and Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, among others. Willem Dafoe, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Rhys, and Finn Wolfhard also feature in supporting roles.
