‘Saturday Night’ Trailer: Jason Reitman Recreates the First ‘SNL’ Episode in 1975 as Lorne Michaels and the Cast Spiral Under Pressure

As a seasoned movie critic with over three decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the trailer for “Saturday Night” has piqued my interest to no end. Having witnessed the evolution of Saturday Night Live from its humble beginnings to the cultural juggernaut it is today, I can appreciate the sheer magnitude of this cinematic endeavor.


Hailing from New York on this Saturday night, we’re excited to share that the trailer for Jason Reitman’s movie titled “Saturday Night” has dropped! This sneak peek offers a tense glimpse into the tumultuous 90 minutes preceding the first ever episode of Saturday Night Live. The screenplay for this film was jointly written by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan.

In the preview for the movie, it shows SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels, portrayed by “The Fabelmans” sensation Gabriel LaBelle, struggling hard to launch the show successfully. It appears to be a difficult task. There are troublesome cast members and bothersome studio executives hindering his progress. At one instance, Michaels passionately exclaims: “NBC is fortunate to have something as significant as this show!”

On October 11, 1975, the debut of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) occurred. The initial episode was hosted by renowned comedian George Carlin and included musical performances by Billy Preston and Janis Ian. Among the stars gracing the stage that night were Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Michael O’Donoghue, and Gilda Radner. Notably, George Coe, who would not become a regular cast member after this episode, also made an appearance on the premiere of SNL.

As an ardent cinema enthusiast, let me share a fascinating tidbit: Back in the day, the mastermind Dick Ebersol crafted the concept for Saturday Night Live (SNL), and brought on board Lorne Michaels as the showrunner. Fast forward to today, and guess who’s still at the helm? You got it – Lorne Michaels! And here’s the cherry on top: SNL is all set to kick off its 50th season this autumn, a testament to its enduring legacy in the world of comedy.

In addition to Bellette, the movie features an array of talented actors such as Dylan O’Brien (Aykroyd), Cory Michael Smith (Chase), Rachel Sennott (Rosie Shuster), Lamorne Morris (Morris), Nicholas Braun (Jim Henson), Finn Wolfhard (a NBC page), Jon Batiste (Preston), Ella Hunt (Radnor), Cooper Hoffman (Ebersol), Andrew Barth Feldman (Neil Levy), Naomi McPherson (Ian), Willem Dafoe (David Tebet), J.K. Simmons (Milton Berle) and Kaia Gerber (Jacqueline Carlin). There are many more actors involved too.

“Saturday Night” releases in theaters Oct. 11, 2024 from Sony Pictures. Watch the trailer below.

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2024-08-08 18:16